20,000 Days On Earth is an inventive, lyrical ode to creativity and an intimate examination of the artistic process of musician and cultural icon Nick Cave. In their debut feature directors Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard fuse drama and documentary, weaving a staged day in Cave’s life with never-before-seen verité observation of his creative cycle. Neither a music documentary nor a concert film, 20,000 Days On Earth still contains electrifying performances. Audiences see a song grow from the tiniest of ideas to an epic performance at Sydney Opera House. Cave also opens up to a psychoanalyst as he discusses how his early years continue to inform his work, and journeys through his memories via mementos from his personal archive. This category-defying film pushes the form into new territory, exploring universal themes about artistry, and celebrating the transformative power of the creative spirit.
20,000 Days On Earth
This film is part of the Sounds of Summer series.
This series is sponsored by:
The Lucille & Paul Maslin Foundation
Janet Maslin
Exclusive media partner:

20,000 Days On Earth
2014. 97 m. Iain Forsyth/Jane Pollard. AGFA. US/UK. English. Rated NR.
Tickets: $11 (members), $16 (nonmembers)
"It's right up there with the best rock documentaries. That is, if you can call it a documentary."
"The film conceals as much as it reveals, and its beauty is that it pretends to do nothing else. It embraces a mystery and protects it, and it’s thrilling to behold."
This film is part of the Sounds of Summer series.
This series is sponsored by:
The Lucille & Paul Maslin Foundation
Janet Maslin
Exclusive media partner:

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