Metallica Honors Fans At “Metallica Saved My Life” Premiere At Tribeca Film Festival
via Cherry the Geek TV / Youtube
Metallica rocked the red carpet last night, June 12, at the world premiere of their emotional new documentary Metallica Saved My Life during the Tribeca Film Festival. Held at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York, the event celebrated the stories of fans whose lives were profoundly impacted by the band.
Guitarist Kirk Hammett shared how touched he was: it was “a pretty special occasion for a pretty special film about a lot of very, very special people.” The movie was directed by Swedish filmmaker Jonas Åkerlund, known for Lords of Chaos and Metallica’s iconic music videos like Whiskey in the Jar, Turn the Page, and ManUNkind. Åkerlund traveled to 23 countries, gathering heartfelt interviews from fans around the world.
Jim Breuer Sparked the Idea
Frontman James Hetfield revealed that comedian Jim Breuer, a long-time friend of the band, lit the creative spark behind the documentary. James explained:
“Jim Breuer was opening up for us in the arena tour, and he was traveling around with a lot of these fans and just kind of got to know them staying in the Airbnbs with them. And he says, ‘James, you have got to hear these fricking stories, they’re unbelievable – where these people came from, how they got into music and why.’… So he inspired this movie.”
Kirk added that he came away from the film with a newfound appreciation:
“I learned a lot. As James was saying, we’re curious about our fans, and I learned so much from this film about them. It was a really special experience for me personally.”
Becoming Fan Boys Themselves
Many of the fans featured in Metallica Saved My Life also walked the red carpet—and James admitted it turned him into a total fanboy:
“It’s hard to not just geek out and wave at them. I know you, you’re in the movie! [I] try not to do that, but you can’t help it!”
He went on to say:
“I was very afraid that it was going to change them in a fame way, but they’re helping us get the message out that we’re all the same.”
This isn’t Metallica’s first documentary—they’ve opened up before in Some Kind of Monster (2004) and the hybrid concert film Metallica Through the Never (2013). But this new film turns the lens back on the fans, celebrating those whose love for the music changed their lives—and now the band is returning the love.
The trailer for Metallica Saved My Life is available now—check it out and get ready to watch some unforgettable stories unfold:
