Jonas Åkerlund’s new film, Metallica Saved My Life, debuted on June 11 at the Tribeca Film Festival. It showcases stories from fans in 23 nations who supported each other over the past four decades, capturing how the band’s music unites people worldwide.
This marks Åkerlund’s fourth project with the metal giants. He shot the videos for “Turn the Page,” “Whiskey in the Jar,” and “ManUNkind.” His latest work puts a spotlight on people who found strength in music during dark times.
“I don’t think it was ever a choice. I would like to believe that we dictate our own narrative, and one of the key pieces of the individual and collective DNA in Metallica is curiosity,” said Lars Ulrich to .
Ulrich said that bold moves and a desire to evolve are essential, and he pointed to Ride the Lightning. Its fourth track, “Fade to Black,” shocked some fans with acoustic guitars, and hard-rock purists questioned the choice. Lars added that many younger fans are discovering different albums and songs than older listeners.
“The biggest surprise is the diversity and lack of a uniform answer to the question. When you talk to 10 people, 20 people, 50 people — and we do talk to a lot through meet and greets and interacting with fans — everyone’s got a different story,” Ulrich said.
Mercury Studios joined with Universal Music Group to create the film. After Tribeca, Metallica will offer sneak peeks of the documentary in Santa Clara on June 21 and Denver on June 28, some of its North American tour stops.
This film shifts focus from 2004’s Some Kind of Monster, which showed the band in therapy while recording “St. Anger.” Metallica Saved My Life shows at theaters later this year, and you can purchase tickets through .
