Metallica Saved My Life
| Metallica Saved My Life | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Jonas Åkerlund |
| Written by | Jonas Åkerlund |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Eric Broms |
| Edited by |
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Release date | |
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Metallica Saved My Life is a 2025 American documentary film, directed by Jonas Åkerlund.[1] The film profiles the fans of the band Metallica from all around the world and their stories of how the band helped them through tough times.
The film premiered on June 11, 2025, at the Tribeca Festival[1] and screened through select cities during the band's M72 World Tour.[2]
Origins
[edit]Metallica singer and guitarist, James Hetfield notes that American comedian and friend of the band, Jim Breur, was the inspiration for the documentary from saying, "James, you have got to hear these fricking stories, they're unbelievable - where these people came from, how they got into music and why."[3]
Synopsis
[edit]The film documents die-hard fans of Metallica and how the band give each of them a sense of identity and hope.[2] It covers four decades of fandom and the found family each has from other Metallica fans.[4]
Some of the fans' stories that were shared:[4][5][6]
- A fan feeling teased and taunted for not fitting the stereotype of listening to Metallica
- A fan finding comfort in the music while growing up in a civil war
- A couple whom one of them got into a motorcycle accident and finding the motivation for rehabilitation in attending a Metallica concert
- Fans who are metal cowboys from Botswana
- Fans in Japan
What connects them all together is the sense of community, and one fan summarizes it as: "Metallica is all of us together. [...] It belongs to all of us."[4]
The film also covers some of the struggles the band has gone through, like Hetfield's insecurity and time in rehabilitation.[6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Earl, William (June 11, 2025). "Lars Ulrich on the New Metallica Doc, Embracing Streaming Music Fans and the 'Star Wars' Meme He Just Sent to the Band". Variety. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
- ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (April 9, 2025). "Metallica Drop Emotional First Trailer For Fan-Focused 'Metallica Save My Life' Doc: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
- ^ Brannigan, Paul (June 15, 2025). ""Once you hear their stores, it's hard to not love them." Metallica pay tribute to the "deep emotional human stories" shared by fans, at the premiere of their Metallica Saved My Life documentary". Louder. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
- ^ a b c Paul, Larisha (April 9, 2025). "'Metallica Saved My Life' Documentary Teaser Celebrates Four Decades of Fandom Family". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
- ^ Grow, Kory (June 11, 2025). "How Metallica Inspired Fans to Walk and Rock Again After a Serious Motorcycle Accident". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
- ^ a b "Metallica's James Hetfield Gets Candid About His Own Personal Growth as Band Screens New Documentary". People.com. Retrieved June 16, 2025.