EXCLUSIVE: Greenwich Entertainment has acquired North American rights to two films about the major U.K. rock band Blur: the documentary blur: To The End and the concert film blur: Live At Wembley Stadium, eyeing both for theatrical release later this year.
Toby L (Liam Gallagher: Knebworth 22; Olivia Rodrigo – Sour Prom) directed both films. blur: To The End, which held its world premiere at Sheffield DocFest earlier this year, “depicts the extraordinary and emotional return of blur, captured during the year in which they made a surprise return with their first record in 8 years, the critically acclaimed #1 album The Ballad of Darren,” notes a release. “blur: To The End follows the unique relationship of four friends – and bandmates of three decades – Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree as they come together to record new songs ahead of their sold-out, first ever shows at London’s Wembley Stadium in 2023. Featuring performances of their most iconic, much-loved songs, footage of the band in the studio and life on the road, this film is an intimate moment in time with this most enduring of English bands, who have been at the heart of British cultural life and influence for over thirty years.”
Greenwich Entertainment
blur: Live At Wembley Stadium, meanwhile, is a “cinematic two-hour concert film immortalizing last summer’s historic Wembley Stadium shows which saw blur perform their iconic and much-loved songs for 150,000 fans in a transcendent, once-in-a-generation performance weekend that delivered a sweep of ecstatic 5* reviews.”
In a statement, director Toby L said, “We’re honored to be partnering with Greenwich for the North American release of our Blur double-bill, To The End and Live at Wembley Stadium. Greenwich’s rich, artistic caliber of film releases perfectly complements the curiosity and empathy we strive for in our own titles here. To The End is an intimate glimpse into relationships, motivation and mortality, the sights and sounds of long-term friendship unearthing a fresh new conquest to overcome together. On the subject of capturing a band that has been so well documented, we sat down at the start of the project and agreed that the film had to tell a new story, be shot entirely on location, and crucially, be honest. In To The End, that’s what I hope people can see, and most importantly, feel.”
‘blur: To The End’
Greenwich Entertainment
The filmmaker added, “Working with blur on this documentary, over the past year has been the honor of a lifetime. They were the first band I ever saw – when I was 10 – at Wembley Arena. To consider that a little over 25 years later, I’d be making a film with the band that changed my entire world view on art, culture and music, remains utterly surreal. I hope that through watching it people feel a little closer to this incredible group of artists and friends, and have a richer insight for a life spent being in a band.”
blur: To The End and blur: Live At Wembley Stadium are directed by Toby L. Executive producers are Josh Connolly, Eleven Mgmt, Toby L & Tim Dellow. Greenwich’s Andy Bohn negotiated the acquisition with Altitude’s Mike Runagall on behalf of the filmmakers.
Greenwich releases include the Oscar-winning Free Solo, directed by Jimmy Chin and E. Chai Vasarhelyi. The company is in Oscar competition this year with Queendom, which earlier this week earned three nominations for the IDA Documentary Awards, as well as Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid; Copa 71; The Cowboy and the Queen; Mad about the Boy – The Noel Coward Story; Hidden Master: The Legacy of George Platt Lynes; Food and Country; Happy Clothes: A Film about Patricia Field; and Sorry/Not Sorry.
Among Greenwich’s upcoming releases are Michael Winterbottom’s Shoshana and Lucy Lawless’s Never Look Away. The latter film also is in Oscar competition this year.