Sheffield DocFest (23-28 June) is to open with the UK premiere of Brett Morgen’s David Bowie documentary Moonage Daydream.
Written, directed, edited and produced by Morgen (The Kid Stays in the Picture, Cobain: Montage of Heck, Jane) the film is billed as a genre-defying immersion into the art and sounds of David Bowie.
Sheffield DocFest will be the first public screening of the film following its bow in the Midnight Screenings’ section at Cannes. Universal Pictures Content Group will release the film internationally in September.
DocFest’s Opening Night will take place at the 2,000 seat Sheffield City Hall - 50 years since David Bowie first played the historic music venue in June 1972.
Moonage Daydream is the first film to be supported by the David Bowie Estate, which granted Morgen unprecedented access to their collection.
In 2017, the estate presented Morgen with over five million assets. Included in the collection were rare and never-before seen drawings, recordings, films, and journals. Morgen spent four years assembling the film and another 18 months designing the soundscape, animations, and color palette.
For the film, the sound team - featuring Bowie’s long-time collaborator, friend and music producer Tony Visconti and Academy Award-winning sound mixer Paul Massey (Bohemian Rhapsody) - remixed and translated Bowie’s original stems for a theatrical environment.
Clare Stewart, interim CEO, Sheffield DocFest said: “Brett Morgen’s glorious cinematic odyssey is an intoxicating match for Bowie’s artistry, Moonage Daydream feels like an extension of Bowie’s imagination - dazzling, slippery and iconic. It’s a documentary that will thrill Bowie fans and film-lovers alike.”
Morgen said: “Moonage Daydream invites audiences to come together to participate in a shared experience, to share in the wonder of Bowie. The opportunity to unspool the film at the historic 2000 seat City Hall, where Ziggy performed 50 years ago is in many ways, the fulfilment of that dream.”
Sheffield DocFest returns as a fully in-person event this year. Its full programme will be announced on 31 May.
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