As is now seeming tradition, this year’s Tribeca Festival (its milestone 25th!) will open with the premiere of a star-studded new documentary about entertainment royalty. From Billy Joel to Gilda Radner, Diane von Furstenberg to Jennifer Lopez, the annual festival often opens with a star-centric doc, and this year, Earth, Wind & Fire joins the party.
Directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the festival will kick off on June 3 with “Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial VS That’s the Weight of the World).” The screening will be followed by a live performance by nine-time Grammy Award-winning icons Earth, Wind & Fire and three-time Grammy Award-winning group The Roots at the Beacon Theatre.
“Opening night is always a magical moment! This year, as we celebrate 25 years of the festival, it is especially meaningful,” said Jane Rosenthal, Tribeca Festival Co-Founder and Co-Chair in an official statement. “Tribeca was born in the wake of 9/11 with a belief: that storytellers have the power to bring communities together. For 25 years, we’ve seen artists, filmmakers, musicians, and audiences come together in New York City in ways that are inspiring, surprising, and deeply human. We are humbled by what’s been achieved and excited for the stories yet to come.”
“It is an absolute honor to bring this project to the Tribeca Festival,” added Thompson. “The past two years of deep research and creative magic surrounding Earth, Wind & Fire have been nothing short of transformative. They remain one of the most culturally significant bands in history, and this project finally illustrates exactly why their legacy is so vital.”
Per today’s official announcement, the doc “examines the band’s lasting legacy, cultural influence, and body of work, with rare access to archival materials and a focus on the vision of founder Maurice White.” Following its Tribeca premiere, the film will debut in the United States on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max in 2026.
Thompson is, of course, no stranger to the deeply-researched (and deeply-felt!) music doc, having previously helmed the lauded “Summer of Soul,” his follow-up “Sly Lives!,” and his recent “Ladies & Gentleman, 50 Years of SNL Music.”
