Winner of 'Best Music Documentary' at the 2019 Melbourne Documentary Film Festival - Tommy Emmanuel: The Endless Road
Feature documentary film on Australia’s most recognizable guitarist
Cast includes Jason Isbell, Eric Idle, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Sir Barry Gibb and more
Sydney film premiere as part of Australian Music Week – November 2019
"When you see him playing you think 'Oh my god, he's doing that all by himself'." - Eric Idle, Monty Python
"Imagine Chet Atkins with the testosterone of Eddie Van Halen." - Steve Vai
Tommy Emmanuel is recognized the world over as a peerless wizard of the acoustic guitar, bringing the power and dynamism of a full band to his solo playing, with incredible charisma, stunning speed and dexterity and unerring command of melody and emotion.
Now, for the first time, the untold story of his journey from Australia’s youngest guitar prodigy to the world’s most acclaimed acoustic guitarist is told in a new feature documentary film, Tommy Emmanuel: The Endless Road. The film was named ‘Best Music Documentary’ at the 2019 Melbourne Documentary Film Festival earlier this year and will premiere at the 50thNashville Film Festival in November, 2019.
Tommy Emmanuel: The Endless Road will hold its Sydney Premiere as part of Australian Music Week. As part of the opening day’s events, AMW will screen ‘The Endless Road’ at Cronulla Cinemas on Wednesday November 6 from 3.45pm, followed by a Q&A session with Director Jeremy Dylan and Producer Jaime Lewis. Entry is with a Delegate’s ticket via OZTIX. An extra screening will be shown on Saturday November 9(time tba). View a sneak peek here.
A touring musician from age five, Tommy spends his childhood living rough on the road with his family band. After losing his father at age eleven, Tommy vows to emulate his musical idol, American guitar legend Chet Atkins. Traumatic revelations about the father he idolized send Tommy into a decades-long battle with addiction which threatens to derail his family and career, even as he drives himself to become one of the world’s most compelling performers.
The film also tells the touching story of the relationship between Tommy and his hero, mentor and surrogate father figure, the legendary Chet Atkins.
Told through intimate backstage footage, explosive concert performances, rare archival material and unfiltered interviews with Tommy’s closest friends and family (as well as stars from Joe Satriani to Jason Isbell to Monty Python’s Eric Idle), the film examines the scars of childhood trauma, breaking cycles of self-destruction and the ambitious rise of a man determined to bring happiness to all corners of the globe with his music, even as his own life was in danger of toppling.
Director Jeremy Dylan and producer Jaime Lewis traveled from Sydney to Nashville, Havana to London, capturing the full scope of Tommy’s epic life and telling a moving, human story about the cycles of fathers and children, whether our origins and pasts define our future, the difference music can make in people’s lives and ultimately, when you truly decide to grow up.
“The first time I watched the film, I thought ‘how did I survive all of that’” recalls Tommy. “It’s all there – my proudest musical moments, some of my best playing and a lot of important moments I wish I could forget, but helped make me the man I am today. I can’t wait for people to see it, especially the fans who have been following me for decades. There will be some surprises for them I’m sure.”
TOMMY EMMANUEL THE ENDLESS ROAD
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To further information or interviews with filmmakers pls contact -
Tatiana Marchant: Tatiana@estellar.com.au| 0410 655 020 | +61 2 9817 1279
Title: Tommy Emmanuel: The Endless Road
Run time: 80 minutes
Director: Jeremy Dylan
Producer: Jaime Lewis
