Mutiny In Heaven
October 9, 2023
Featuring never-before-seen live archival footage, Mutiny In Heaven reveals the story of the legendary Australian band The Birthday Party, led by Nick Cave, in a thrilling tale of epic struggle, creative vision, and total dysfunctionality.
Individual Tickets: Select showtime to purchase
Passes: $100 | $75 SIFF Members - Access to all screenings
SIFF year-round passes and vouchers are not valid for this screening.
“For the unfamiliar, learning about the power and the fury of the Birthday Party is essential.” —Spectrum Culture
The Birthday Party with Nick Cave were one of the definitive post-punk groups and goth rock pioneers. During its chaotic heyday in the ’70s and ’80s, the band became known for their darkly unpredictable performances, seen as equal parts artistic genius and total chaos. While they only released a few albums during their brief run, their music and legendary reputation would significantly influence many future musical artists. Given unprecedented access, director Ian White let’s the band tell their story in their own words for the first time, taking their first-hand testimonials and weaving them together with a wealth of rare and unseen archives from this incredibly prolific period, including original artwork, unreleased tracks, studio footage, and animation. As visually rich as it is narratively riveting, Mutiny In Heaven provides a rare look at a provocative band’s perilous balancing act between unfettered creativity and self-destruction, during their brief arc between breakthrough and break-up.
- Director: Ian White
- Principal Cast: Nick Cave, Mick Harvey
- Premiere Status: Seattle
- Country: Australia
- Year: 2023
- Running Time: 86 min.
- Producer: Bill Lord, Greg Blakey, Ian White, Lindsay Gravina, Michael Murphy, Mick Harvey, Stuart Souter, Wim Wenders
- Editors: Aaron J. March
- Music: Mick Harvey
- Website: Official Film Website
- Filmography: Before the Fall (2015)
- Language: English
- US Distributor: Cargo Film & Releasing