'Life in a Day' to get theatrical release

PARK CITY, Utah, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- National Geographic said Monday it has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to the documentary "Life in a Day."

Ridley Scott of the production company Scott Free was the executive producer of the 90-minute film and Academy Award-winner Kevin Macdonald was the director.

The pair, via YouTube, asked people around the world to capture portions of their lives on video on a single day -- last July 24.

Worldwide YouTube users responded with more than 80,000 submissions from 192 countries, totaling more than 4,500 hours of footage. More than 1,000 clips from YouTube users around the world were woven into the film, which is to premiere Thursday at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

People are invited to watch the premiere stream live on YouTube.com/lifeinaday as a special one-time event.

"'Life in a Day' is unique, contemporary and exciting, but what surprised me about the film is how emotional, powerful and involving it is. For that, the credit goes to all the amateur filmmakers who contributed and, of course, to Ridley Scott and Kevin Macdonald, who managed to create such an innovative and powerful cinematic experience," National Geographic Films President Daniel Battsek said in a statement Monday.

National Geographic said it will release the film theatrically this coming July 24.