Placebo Subject Of Rockumentary ‘This Search For Meaning’; Abramorama Acquires WW Rights, Details Revealed
EXCLUSIVE: Band Placebo are getting the rockumentary treatment with This Search For Meaning, which will feature new interviews with band members Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal as well as contributions from the likes of Shirley Manson, Yungblud and Robbie Williams.
Abramorama has acquired worldwide distribution rights to the feature-length movie, which is described as an “intimate film exploring the ideas that inhabit the lyrics and subject matter of Placebo’s songs, whilst charting their evolution as a group and as human beings”.
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Abramorama will release in theaters in September.
Since emerging in the 1990s with provocative songs such as Nancy Boy and Bruise Pristine, Placebo forged a unique path through the ‘Britpop’ scene exploring gender, identity, addiction, human rights and the corruption of those in power.
Scottish filmmaker Oscar Sansom directs the film, which will touch on themes including surveillance culture, sexuality, gender identity, addiction, trauma, and the climate crisis. Among talking heads are Shirley Manson (Garbage), Robbie Williams, Yungblud, Rebecca Lucy Taylor (Self Esteem), Joe Talbot (IDLES) and artist Stuart Semple.
The film’s narrative is structured around new performances of Placebo’s latest songs – taken from their recent album Never Let Me Go – captured at Britain’s Twickenham Film Studios. The footage is intercut with archive footage of the band, and exclusive material that spans their entire career, including their creative and personal collaboration with David Bowie.
Producing are Amy James and Stefan Demetriou for London-based Aldgate Pictures, Renoir Pictures and Silva Screen Productions.
“This Search for Meaning glimpses the band in a way that I do not believe they have been seen before,” said director Oscar Sansom. “Brian and Stefan’s trust and bravery in embracing my, at times unconventional, approach in making the film has allowed an intimacy and honesty that I find truly courageous and striking. Their openness has, in turn, been mirrored by the other individuals who have added their voices to the project. This Search for Meaning continues a conversation that Brian and Stefan began back in 1994 when they first formed Placebo. My hope is that this film not only offers a small window into this incredible band and the boundary breaking work they have been producing over the past three decades but that it also functions as an invitation for audiences to become a part of that conversation.”
“Abramorama is ecstatic to share Oscar Sansom’s insightful and revealing documentary with Placebo fans around the world,” added Abramorama’s President & Head of International Distribution Evan Saxon. “The list of amazing artists who have been in Placebo’s sphere, the global reach of their fanbase and the longevity of Placebo’s career is to be admired and appreciated.”
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