The Joe Strummer documentary "Let's Rock Again!" will receive its world premiere next month at New York's Tribeca Film Festival. Produced by Strummer and longtime friend Dick Rude, the one-hour film was shot over the 18 months leading up to the late-Clash frontman's untimely December 2002 death.
"It has been my blessing to share with the world an intimate portrait of such a passionate and humble man," Rude says. "Joe was a true hero. His music changed people's lives. His love affected me profoundly. I am proud of the story he has allowed me to tell, but I would trade it all in a heartbeat to have him back."
"Let's Rock Again!" opens with a montage of Clash-era footage of Strummer before ultimately settling into his stint fronting the Mescaleros. The film includes everything from performance footage to interviews with the subject, and spotlights public reaction to Strummer ranging from fanatical in Japan to indifferent in the United States.
The documentary, which does not yet have a distributor, will screen twice at the Tribeca Film Festival: May 7 at 9:45 p.m. and the next day at 11:30 p.m.
Rude wrote and starred in 1987's "Straight to Hell," which featured a cast that included Strummer and Courtney Love. The film also featured appearances by Grace Jones, Elvis Costello, his then-wife Cait O'Riordan and her Pogues bandmates Shane MacGowan and Spider Stacy.
Rude has also appeared in the films "Roadside Prophets," "Sid and Nancy" (to which Strummer contributed music) and "Repo Man."
In related news, Strummer's family and friends are launching the Strummerville charitable foundation for the promotion of new music. "The aim of Strummerville is to provide aid to groups and organizations to fund the purchase of musical instruments, studio and rehearsal time; to enable the production of music by creative young people who would otherwise be prevented from doing so simply because they lack the necessary funds," according to Strummer's official Web site.
"It has been my blessing to share with the world an intimate portrait of such a passionate and humble man," Rude says. "Joe was a true hero. His music changed people's lives. His love affected me profoundly. I am proud of the story he has allowed me to tell, but I would trade it all in a heartbeat to have him back."
"Let's Rock Again!" opens with a montage of Clash-era footage of Strummer before ultimately settling into his stint fronting the Mescaleros. The film includes everything from performance footage to interviews with the subject, and spotlights public reaction to Strummer ranging from fanatical in Japan to indifferent in the United States.
The documentary, which does not yet have a distributor, will screen twice at the Tribeca Film Festival: May 7 at 9:45 p.m. and the next day at 11:30 p.m.
Rude wrote and starred in 1987's "Straight to Hell," which featured a cast that included Strummer and Courtney Love. The film also featured appearances by Grace Jones, Elvis Costello, his then-wife Cait O'Riordan and her Pogues bandmates Shane MacGowan and Spider Stacy.
Rude has also appeared in the films "Roadside Prophets," "Sid and Nancy" (to which Strummer contributed music) and "Repo Man."
In related news, Strummer's family and friends are launching the Strummerville charitable foundation for the promotion of new music. "The aim of Strummerville is to provide aid to groups and organizations to fund the purchase of musical instruments, studio and rehearsal time; to enable the production of music by creative young people who would otherwise be prevented from doing so simply because they lack the necessary funds," according to Strummer's official Web site.
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