20,000 Days on Earth

The debut feature-length film of the artist film-makers Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, this take on the rock documentary straddles the line between fiction and reality as it examines the life of the rock icon Nick Cave as he works on his 2013 album Push the Sky Away.
Set during a (fictionalised) 24 hour period in the life of the lead singer of the Bad Seeds, the film sees Cave reflect on his work, the nature of art and the religious nature of musical performance. There are snippets of live performances, Cave at work in other media and abstract scenes such as the moment he is placed in a car with former musical collaborator Kylie Minogue. The combination creates a film that transcends the usual notions of what makes a music biopic.
The film is at times remarkably intimate and those who are fans of Nick Cave will find the film a must, as Cave is refreshingly honest about himself and his creative process. But the film goes beyond Cave as an individual as it is also a fascinating examination of the nature of art and what it is to be human. Yet, with sly moments of humour, the film avoids becoming too heavy handed.
Clever, playful and at times profound, “20,000 Days on Earth” is an inspired film featuring one of the most inspiring musical artists working today.

Introduction by Tõnu Karjatse