2020 film by Spike Lee
"David Byrne's American Utopia" redirects here. For the album, see
American Utopia .
American Utopia Official poster
Directed by Spike Lee Written by David Byrne Produced by Starring David Byrne Cinematography Ellen Kuras Edited by Adam Gough Music by David Byrne Production
Distributed by HBO (United States)Universal Pictures (International)[ 1] Release dates
September 10, 2020 (2020-09-10 ) (Toronto ) October 17, 2020 (2020-10-17 ) Running time
105 minutes[ 2] Country United States Language English Box office $275,304[ 3]
American Utopia concert film directed and produced bySpike Lee , from a screenplay byDavid Byrne . The film is a live recording of aBroadway performance of the show adapted from the touring show that supported thealbum of the same name . The film features selections from that album, as well as songs from throughout Byrne's career. Byrne performed alongside eleven musicians, all of whom used wireless or portable equipment. Frequent collaboratorAnnie-B Parson served as choreographer.
It had its world premiere at the2020 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2020. The film received critical acclaim.
All provide percussion; all except Byrne provide backing vocals.
David Byrne – lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitarsChris Giarmo – dancing, melodica Tendayi Kuumba – dancing Karl Mansfield – keyboards, musical director Angie Swan – electric guitar Bobby Wooten III – bass Mauro Refosco – drums, musical directorTim Keiper – drums Gustavo Di Dalva – drums Jacquelene Acevedo – drums Daniel Freedman – drums Stephane San Juan – drums In June 2020, it was announcedSpike Lee had directed a filmed version of theBroadway performanceAmerican Utopia David Byrne , withHBO distributing.[ 4] [ 5]
CinematographersEllen Kuras andDeclan Quinn utilizedSony Venice digital cameras to capture the performance.[ 6]
American Utopia had its world premiere at the2020 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2020.[ 7] New York Film Festival on October 3, 2020,[ 8] [ 9] BFI London Film Festival on October 14, 2020.[ 10] [ 11] HBO Max (U.S.) andCrave (Canada) on October 17, 2020.[ 12] [ 13] Universal Pictures distributed the film in all other countries.[ 1] limited theatrical release in the United States throughout September 2021. The film was released on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD byThe Criterion Collection on December 16, 2025.[ 14]
The movie was accompanied by asoundtrack album that featured the same songs as the movie, but instead of having "Everybody's Coming to My House: Detroit", the album has a bonus track of a live recording of "The Great Curve" from Talking Head's albumRemain in Light
All tracks are written byDavid Byrne , except where noted.
Disc one No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "Here" 4:19 2. "I Know Sometimes a Man Is Wrong" / "Don't Worry About the Government" 4:27 3. "Lazy " 4:34 4. "This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) " 4:56 5. "I Zimbra " 3:08 6. "Slippery People" Byrne Frantz Harrison Weymouth 4:49 7. "I Should Watch TV" 3:16 8. "Everybody's Coming to My House" 3:46 9. "Once in a Lifetime " Byrne Eno Frantz Harrison Weymouth 5:34 10. "Glass, Concrete & Stone" 3:12 Total length: 42:01
American Utopia received critical acclaim. It holds a 98% approval rating on review aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes , based on 135 reviews, with an average of 8.6/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Helmed in elegant and exhilarating style by Spike Lee,David Byrne's American Utopia is a concert film that doubles as a joyously cathartic celebration."[ 15] Metacritic , the film holds a rating of 92 out of 100, based on 28 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[ 16]
Erik Adams ofThe A.V. Club American Utopia as "the right movie for 2020", noting how Byrne balances hope in a tumultuous world, writing, "The key toAmerican Utopia ' s resonance isn’t so much one of joy versus despair as it is connection versus isolation".[ 17]
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref. Chicago Film Critics Association Awards December 21, 2020 Best Documentary Film David Byrne andSpike Lee Nominated [ 18] Florida Film Critics Circle Awards December 21, 2020 Best Documentary Film American Utopia Nominated [ 19] San Diego Film Critics Society Awards January 11, 2021 Best Use of Music American Utopia Runner-up [ 20] Toronto Film Critics Association Awards February 7, 2021 Allan King Documentary Award Spike Lee Runner-up [ 21] Grammy Awards March 14, 2021 Best Musical Theater Album American Utopia on Broadway Nominated [ 22] Directors Guild of America Award April 10, 2021 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials Spike Lee Nominated [ 23] American Cinema Editors Eddie Awards April 17, 2021 Best Edited Variety Talk/Sketch Show or Special Adam Gough Won [ 24] Primetime Emmy Awards September 19, 2021 Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) Jeff Skoll ,David Linde ,Diane Weyermann ,Len Blavatnik , David Bither, Charlie Cohen,Kurt Deutsch ,Bill Pohlad , Christa Zofcin Workman, Jon Kamen,Dave Sirulnick , Meredith Bennett, Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Patrick Catullo,Sue Naegle , Alec Sash, David Byrne and Spike LeeNominated [ 25] September 11 and 12, 2021 Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special Spike Lee Nominated Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Special Rob Sinclair and Brian Spett Won Outstanding Music Direction Karl Mansfield Nominated Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special Paul Hsu , Pete Keppler and Michael LonsdaleWon Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Special Peter Agliata, Kerwin DeVonish, Tim Ives, Ellen Kuras, Sam Levy, Charles Libin, Declan Quinn, Yousheng Tang, Gregor Tavenner and David Waterston Nominated Tony Awards September 26, 2021 Special Tony Award American Utopia Won [ 26] Grammy Awards January 31, 2022 Best Music Film American Utopia Nominated [ 27]
^a b Grater, Tom (September 22, 2020)."Spike Lee-Directed 'David Byrne's American Utopia' Heading To Universal PCG For International" .Deadline Hollywood .Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. RetrievedSeptember 22, 2020 . ^ "American Utopia" .Toronto International Film Festival .Archived from the original on September 6, 2020. RetrievedSeptember 8, 2020 .^ "David Byrne's American Utopia (2020) " .Box Office Mojo IMDb . RetrievedNovember 4, 2023 .^ Kim Murphy, J. (June 16, 2020)."Spike Lee-Directed Filmed Version of 'David Byrne's American Utopia' to Premiere on HBO" .Variety Archived from the original on July 22, 2020. RetrievedJuly 21, 2020 . ^ White, Peter (June 16, 2020)."Spike Lee-Directed Film Version Of 'David Byrne's American Utopia' Heads To HBO" .Deadline Hollywood Archived from the original on July 9, 2020. RetrievedJuly 21, 2020 . ^ "The Shows Must Go On (Screen)" .The American Society of Cinematographers . Retrieved2024-08-31 .^ Lang, Brent (July 21, 2020)." .Variety .Archived from the original on July 22, 2020. RetrievedJuly 21, 2020 . ^ Welk, Brian (August 27, 2020)."Sofia Coppola's 'On the Rocks,' Pedro Almodovar's 'The Human Voice' and Orson Welles Doc Added to NYFF Lineup" .TheWrap Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. RetrievedAugust 27, 2020 . ^ "American Utopia" .New York Film Festival Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. RetrievedAugust 29, 2020 .^ "American Utopia" .BFI London Film Festival the original on October 5, 2020. RetrievedSeptember 22, 2020 .^ Ritman, Alex (September 8, 2020)." .The Hollywood Reporter .Archived from the original on September 9, 2020. RetrievedSeptember 22, 2020 . ^ Strauss, Matthew (August 24, 2020)."Watch the New Trailer for David Byrne's American Utopia, Directed by Spike Lee" .Pitchfork .Archived from the original on August 24, 2020. RetrievedAugust 25, 2020 . ^ Evans, Greg (August 24, 2020)." .Deadline .Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. RetrievedOctober 2, 2020 . ^ "David Byrne's American Utopia" .The Criterion Collection . Retrieved2025-09-16 .^ "David Byrne's American Utopia (2020)" .Rotten Tomatoes Fandango .Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. RetrievedOctober 30, 2021 .^ "American Utopia" .Metacritic Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. RetrievedSeptember 22, 2020 .^ Adams, Erik (October 19, 2020)."David Byrne and Spike Lee MadeAmerican Utopia the Right Movie for 2020" .The A.V. Club .Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. RetrievedOctober 23, 2020 . ^ "Chloé Zhao's Nomadland Leads Chicago Film Critics Association 2020 Award Nominations" .Chicago Film Critics Association . December 18, 2020.Archived from the original on December 18, 2020. RetrievedMarch 23, 2021 .^ "2020 Florida Film Critics Circle Award Nominations" .Florida Film Critics Circle . December 17, 2020.Archived from the original on December 17, 2020. RetrievedDecember 21, 2020 .^ Anderson, Erik (January 11, 2021)."San Diego Film Critics give love to 'Promising Young Woman,' 'Sound of Metal' .Awards Watch .Archived from the original on March 23, 2021. RetrievedMarch 23, 2021 . ^ "Nomadland Leads 24th Annual TFCA Awards" .Toronto Film Critics Association Archived from the original on February 8, 2021. RetrievedMarch 23, 2021 .^ 2021 Nominations List ^ Lewis, Hilary; O'Connell, Mikey (March 8, 2021)."DGA Awards: 'Ted Lasso,' 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' Score Two TV Nominations Apiece" .The Hollywood Reporter Archived from the original on March 11, 2021. RetrievedMarch 23, 2021 . ^ Giardina, Carolyn (March 11, 2021)." .The Hollywood Reporter Archived from the original on March 11, 2021. RetrievedMarch 11, 2021 . ^ "David Byrne's American Utopia" .Emmys.com .Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . RetrievedJuly 13, 2021 .^ Ryan McPhee (June 22, 2021)."Special Tony Award Honors Will Go to Broadway Advocacy Coalition,American Utopia ,Freestyle Love Supreme " .Playbill . RetrievedJune 22, 2021 . ^ "2022 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Nominations List" .Grammy Awards . RetrievedNovember 23, 2021 .
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