The new four-hour Grateful Dead documentary Long Strange Trip will debut at the Sundance Film Festival, which begins tomorrow in Park City, UT, before moving to the Amazon streaming service in May.
Directed by Amir Bar-Lev and executive produced by Martin Scorsese, the film details “the creative forces, subversive ambitions, and interpersonal dynamics that drove the Grateful Dead in their 30-year quest for moments of collective inspiration.”
Debuting May 26 on Amazon Prime Video, the film will be broken down into six episodes and include never-before-seen footage and interviews from the band and those that surrounded it.
Principals in the production commented on Long Strange Trip:
“I first reached out to the Grateful Dead about this film back in 2003. Since then, everyone who has come aboard has treated this project with a renegade spirit of cooperation and ingenuity worthy of the subject matter. I recognized immediately that Amazon was the perfect distributor when I met their team, and I can’t wait to see how many brains they can infect with the Dead’s contagious brand of anti-establishment fun.” – Amir Bar-Lev
“I’ve always admired the spirit and creativity of the Grateful Dead. They are revolutionary artists who forever changed the world of touring and recording live music. They were a cultural force—a lifestyle, that continue to influence new generations of fans. This film will entertain and educate audiences about one of the most innovative and groundbreaking American bands of the 20th century.” – Martin Scorsese
“The story of the Grateful Dead is that of music and culture of the 20th Century told with vast scope and an unprecedented cast of real life characters, Amir has taken advantage of this larger than life canvas to make an era-defining musical portrait that we can’t wait to bring to audiences everywhere.” – Joe Lewis, Head of Comedy and Drama, Amazon Studios
“Over several decades a group of guys hung together making music in a group that was way tighter and lasted much longer than most marriages. Here’s the movie…” – Bob Weir
“Stranger than fiction – a user’s guide for an impossible journey.” – Mickey Hart
“We’re honored to be involved in this historic, ambitious and passionate undertaking. The Grateful Dead have played and continue to play an integral role not only in our lives, but in the very development of contemporary American society. Amir’s encompassing and engrossing look truly captures the story of this unique band.” – Producers Eric Eisner & Alex Blavatnik
For Sundance attendees, the film will be shown at the following times:
01/23, 8:30 PM – Yarrow Hotel Theatre, Park City
01/24, 8:30 PM – Yarrow Hotel Theatre, Park City
01/26, 6:00 PM – Tower Theatre, Salt Lake City
01/ 28, 8:45 PM – Yarrow Hotel Theatre, Park City
