FROM ACCLAIMED DIRECTOR MIKE FIGGIS AND EAGLE ROCK FILMS, THIS CINEMATIC RELEASE FOLLOWS THE DOCUMENTARY’S PREMIERE AT THE BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL EARLIER THIS MONTH
TICKETS ON SALE NOW VIA ronniewoodmovie.com
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‘Somebody Up There Likes Me’, the first in-depth film biography of Ronnie Wood is coming to cinemas around the UK and Ireland next month. Following its premiere at the BFI London Film Festival in October, the documentary from acclaimed director Mike Figgis will be shown at select cinemas with tickets on sale now. For more information, visit ronniewoodmovie.com.
Ronnie Wood – artist, musician, producer and author. Yet, there is so much more to know about the man himself. This intimate portrait traces the lives and careers of one of the most important guitarists in rock music, capturing what it means to be such an iconic presence. Since he bought his first Rogers electric guitar for £25 over 55 years ago, Ronnie Wood has been at the centre of rock ‘n’ roll, his electrifying and timeless style a key part of British music history.
Ronnie Wood said, “When my mate Mike Figgis approached me to make this documentary film I was baffled where to start and where to finish …Oh well, how about from being born into the Wood dynasty to where I am right now! That should do it … The title says it all, hope you enjoy watching it as much as we did making it. “Leave ‘em wanting more”, as the man said, so look out people, there’s a lot more stories to be told.”
Interspersed with dazzling vintage performance footage of The Jeff Beck Group, The Faces and the Rolling Stones, ‘Somebody Up There Likes Me’ traces Wood’s life from his upbringing in West London, where his father Arthur would fall asleep in neighbours’ gardens as Wood and his two brothers often awoke to find “characters draped over the furniture” who Arthur had brought home from the pub.
Made over two years for Eagle Rock Films, the documentary features brand new interviews with Wood’s Rolling Stones bandmates Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts, as well as his Faces bandmate, Rod Stewart. Other interviewees include Wood’s wife Sally Wood, singer Imelda May and artist Damien Hirst. Hirst reminds viewers how Wood is one of the few musicians to have a respected alternative career as a painter. He says, “Ronnie is a dab hand – he can paint better than me.”
While Figgis’ film is sympathetic to Wood, it doesn’t shy away from his hardships. He talks openly about his battles with drink and drugs, speaking honestly about overcoming his freebase addiction as well as beating lung cancer.
Mike Figgis said, “Music has always been central to the way I approach filmmaking. Working with Ronnie on ‘Somebody Up There Likes Me’ was a great opportunity to explore the roots of the UK Blues and Rock scene, something I had begun in 2002 with Red White and Blues, the Martin Scorcese produced history of the British blues scene, The bonus was Ronnie himself. A multi-talented storyteller, artist and musician. His candour and warmth was always present as he talked about the highs and the lows of his career thus far.”
‘Somebody Up There Likes Me’ takes its title from Wood surviving his chronic smoking habit, as he says: “When they operated on my cancer, they took away my emphysema. They said my lungs were as if I’d never smoked. I thought: ‘How’s that for a Get Out Of Jail Free card?’ Somebody up there likes me, and somebody down here likes me too.”
Throughout, footage of Wood playing guitar and harmonica is a reminder of a versatile instrumentalist, while he also thoughtfully and skilfully paints in his studio. ‘Somebody Up There Likes Me’ is a new look at Ronnie Wood – a rewarding and always compelling insight into one of music’s most likeable, successful but complex key players.
Now, cinemagoers can get a glimpse into Ronnie’s world, as ‘Somebody Up There Likes Me’ comes to cinemas around the UK and Ireland next month. For more information and tickets, visit www.ronniewoodmovie.com
Ronnie Wood with his Wild Five will release ‘Mad Lad – A Live Tribute To Chuck Berry’ on 15 November 2019 via BMG. The band will be performing the album live in London, Birmingham and Manchester next month.
About Mike Figgis:
Mike Figgis is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker whose body of work includes award-winning ‘Leaving Las Vegas’, as well as ‘Internal Affairs’, ‘The Battle Of Orgreave’ and the more eclectic ‘Suspension Of Disbelief’. Figgis, who is widely recognised as a visionary filmmaker who thrives on taking artistic risks, has published several books about his craft, teaches at universities internationally and has just returned from filming a series of short films in Seoul, South Korea.
About Eagle Rock Films:
Eagle Rock Films is a division of Eagle Rock Entertainment, the world-leading producer and distributor of music documentary and concert films. Founded in 1997, the multi-award-winning company releases over 50 productions a year and distributes over 2,000 hours of music programming. The catalogue includes work by award-winning filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Brett Morgan, Mike Figgis, Stanley Nelson, Paul Dugdale, Bob Smeaton, Jeremy Marre, Leslie Woodhead and Michael Epstein. Eagle Rock works with a wide spectrum of artists including the Rolling Stones, Eminem, Madonna, Eric Clapton, Muse, Steven Wilson, Slash, Shania Twain, Iggy Pop, Jeff Beck, Paul McCartney, and Van Morrison. Eagle Rock is a Universal Music Group company, and is headquartered in London.
https://www.eagle-rock-productions.com/
About MusicScreen:
MusicScreen specialise in distributing concert movies and music artist documentaries into cinemas worldwide. The company launched in November 2013 with Universal Music’s artist ‘Keane’ into 500 cinemas in over 20 countries and has since broadcast artists as diverse as KISS and Laura Mvula. In March 2017 the company distributed the iconic ‘Rolling Stones – Havana Moon’ to 1,500 cinemas screens across 35 countries. MusicScreen brings all the excitement and atmosphere of a live music event to cinema screens around the world. The cinema audiences feel like they are actually at the live venue. “A surreal experience, the next best thing to being there.” “We are singing along and clapping like we are really there.” Check out the website to see more feedback from fans around the world and an update on the latest cinema concerts. www.musicscreen.co.uk