An invite-only premiere of Under the Volcano is slated for this Friday, October 1, fittingly at the Sir George Martin Auditorium of the Montserrat Cultural Centre.
The announcement was made today by the Montserrat Tourism Division. Additional screenings will take place on October 2 and 3.
“This is truly an exciting time for the destination and people of Montserrat,” noted Warren Solomon, Director of Tourism for the Montserrat Tourism Division. “Being able to showcase how a small island in the Caribbean, with a larger-than-life impact, influenced and shaped the music industry on a global scale, is a proud moment for us all and one we are happy to see brought back into focus after so many years.”
The film is directed by Gracie Otto and produced by Cody Greenwood of Rush Films.
Specially invited guests (government officials, local participants in the film and the local media) will walk the red carpet and enjoy the pre-film entertainment, glitz and glamour. Guests at the premiere will also have the opportunity to attend a Q&A with the filmmakers after the screening, to learn how Rush Films was able to unearth the unique story of AIR Studios Montserrat and turn it into one of the best music documentaries of the decade. On the 2nd and 3rd of October school children and the locals will be given the opportunity to watch the film for free, by participating in a series of competitions on Montserrat’s only radio station – ZJB Radio (88.3 and 95.5FM).
A release from the division said “Under the Volcano is a celebration of the creative process, and tells the story of the recording studio that was at the centre of the pop world in the 1980s. It all began in 1979 when the late Sir George Martin (often referred to as the fifth Beatle) built a musical outpost called AIR Studios (Associated Independent Recording Studios) Montserrat, where the who’s who of top musicians recorded hit albums throughout the decade.”
“I fell in love with Montserrat and decided to build the ultimate get-away-from-it-all recording studio, which offered all of the technical facilities of its London predecessor, but with the advantages of an exotic location”, states the late Sir George Martin on the official AIR Studios website.
In the shadow of an active volcano, the studio not only attracted the biggest musical talent on the planet including: The Police, Paul McCartney, Duran Duran, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Earth Wind and Fire and the Dire Straits, but it was also the birthplace of hits songs that defined the sound of the 80s. The film features interviews with the likes of Sting and Mark Knopfler, as well as personal archives
from artists such as Sir Paul McCartney and Stewart Copeland.
For a decade, AIR Montserrat formed the backdrop to monumental events in music history including the break-up of The Police, the reunion of The Rolling Stones, and the reinvigoration of Paul McCartney after the tragic murder of John Lennon. After a decade of hits, and at the peak of its popularity, the studio was destroyed when Montserrat was hit by a series of devastating natural disasters.
Producer, Cody Greenwood noted, “Under the Volcano has been a personal journey for me. I have so many fond memories of visiting Montserrat as a child and I’m honoured that the people of Montserrat were open to sharing their story with us. We wish we could be on the island to view the documentary.”
While Director, Gracie Otto commented “We are thrilled to finally share Under the Volcano with audiences in Montserrat. The documentary is a celebration of the island and we hope the people of Montserrat love the film”.
Montserrat is set to re-open its borders to vaccinated travelers on October 1 and it is hoped that the international release of this film would generate renewed interest in visiting the island.
About Rush Films
Rush Films was founded in late 2016 by West Australian producer Cody Greenwood to foster
collaboration with individuals united by a passion for artistic creation and driven by unique and diverse
cinematic visions.
Rush’s original track record to date has been in factual production – across shorts, series and feature
films – working with some of Australia’s most distinctive, emerging filmmaking voices. The criteria for
Rush Films projects is based on the following three components: an original vision, artistic integrity, and
universal appeal. Rush collaborates only with a strong calibre of talent, and is committed to producing
high quality work.
Click HERE to read more.
About Under the Volcano
Name: Under The Volcano
Director: Gracie Otto
Screenwriters: Cody Greenwood, Gracie Otto, Ian Shadwell,
Producers: Cody Greenwood
Co-Producer: Richard Harris
Featured interviews: Sting, Mark Knopler, Nick Rhodes, Jimmy Buffet, Verdine White, Tony Lommi,
Stewart Copeland, Guy Fletcher, Midge Ure, Roger Glover
International Sales: Universal Pictures
Website: www.underthevolcanomovie.com
Watch The Trailer HERE.
