2025 UPDATE:
Hi Everyone!
We’re so excited to share more good news with you all!
Energy: A Documentary About Damo Suzuki is now available to watch on Amazon Prime UK and .COM.
You can find it here: Energy: A Documentary About Damo Suzuki on Amazon Prime.
Team Energy is thrilled to bring this film to audiences worldwide through a platform as renowned as Amazon. Your ongoing support means the world to us, and we’re so grateful to share this journey with you!
Thank you!
—Team Energy
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23.08.2023 UPDATE
We are very happy to announce the Japanese subtitles are complete!
ENERGY: A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT DAMO SUZUKI is now available online in JAPAN!
Big thanks to Damo Suzuki and everyone that has supported us via INDIEGOGO!
LINK TO VIEW BELOW:
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/damosuzukidoc
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12.07.2023 UPDATE
Musikfilm Festivalen @ DFI Copenhagen - 15-24 Sept 2023
Very excited to announce Energy: A Documentary About Damo Suzuki is screening at the awesome Musikfilm Festivalen @ DFI Copenhagen #Denmark
Lots of great music #documentaries
Check out the programme below:
https://www.dfi.dk/.../musikfilm-festivalen-202......
Tickets for Energy: A Documentary About Damo Suzuki
https://www.dfi.dk/.../energy-documentary-about-damo-suzuki
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Damo Suzuki Documentary - Exclusively Online @ Vimeo On Demand
UPDATE - 23 December 22
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Watch Here : https://vimeo.com/ondemand/energythefilm on Vimeo.
Suzuki’s zen, positivity, dogged spirit and remarkable endurance is at the heart of a new documentary, Energy: A Film About Damo Suzuki, by Michelle Heighway. The Guardian - Daniel Dylan Wray
21.09.2022 UPDATE
ENERGY: DAMO SUZUKI DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES IN LONDON AND 8 MORE CITIES
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Director Michelle Heighway is delighted to announce ENERGY: A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT DAMO SUZUKI with a premiere in London and screenings across the UK.
ENERGY follows beloved and iconic singer Damo Suzuki, formerly of Can, as he confronts cancer and attempts to continue a never-ending global tour.
The film, seven years in the making, comes after an incredible public response to two crowdfunding campaigns.
The 71 minute feature is now screened in association with the Doc’n Roll Film Festival 2022.
With animation of Damo's lucid, hospital-bed dreams and extensive archive footage, Heighway pieces together a beautiful portrait and story of survival.
EXCLUSIVE TOUR DATES VIA DOC’ N ROLL FILM FESTIVAL
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London, RIO - 30 October - SUNDAY 4pm
Brighton, DUKE OF YORK - 1st November - TUESDAY
Bristol, CUBE - 3rd November -THURSDAY 8pm
Nottingham, BROADWAY- 4th November - FRIDAY
Newcastle, TYNESIDE - 2nd November - WEDNESDAY
Birkenhead, FUTURE YARD - 6th November - SUNDAY 2pm
Birmingham, MOCKING BIRD - 6th November - SUNDAY 4pm
Cardiff, CHAPTER - 10th November - THURSDAY
Sheffield, SHOWROOM - 11th November - FRIDAY
Thanks for the support!
Team Energy
19.06.2019
UPDATE
Hi EVERYONE! AFTER A WONDERFUL #Crowdfunding consultation. I was advised I can have a one time EXTENSION on Indiegogo of 10 extra days! I added 10 more days to help raise more funds to make this documentary the best way we can! #UPDATE #BLOG in the updates section! Thanks so much everyone!
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11.06.2018
NEW PERK!
UPDATE
10 x Limited Edition Double LP Vinyls available! Moths and Locusts & Damo Suzuki . Signed with a signed photo also. (Photo as seen in Limited Edition Photo Print Perk - I will have these signed by Damo also to make it fair!)
"On a warm night in June 2013 Damo set down in Nanaimo, BC for an epic night of long heavy space rock jams in front of a rabid sold-out crowd. Two synth stations, fuzzed-out guitars, three drummers and pummeling bass coalesced behind Damo's commanding presence, the result was a sprawling, transcendent, seamless soundscape. Backed by Moths & Locusts and joined by members of Wolf Parade, and Colliding Canyons.'"
VIDEO UPDATE 8.06.2018
ENERGY
A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT DAMO SUZUKI
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‘Energy: Damo Suzuki’
In 2014 legendary musician Damo Suzuki was diagnosed with colon cancer. Energy is a unique and intimate portrait of his life as he confronts a life-changing illness and attempts to continue his never-ending tour.
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Directed by Michelle Heighway ‘Energy’ are currently crowd-funding, with the film due for release in December 2019.
Although Damo’s struggle with his health provides the film’s main narrative arc, ‘Energy’ also examines the past, present and future of this highly influential musician’s work, whilst also capturing his singular outlook on art, protest, lifestyle and alternatives to mainstream thought.
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Equally prominent in the film as an intimate depiction of the loving care given to Damo by his partner Elke Morsbach and their home life together.
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Damo Suzuki and Elke Morsbach
As Suzuki fights cancer we’re taken on a colourful, thought provoking, humorous and free-thinking journey, which often finds the viewer willing the strength for Damo to survive the operations and begin his beloved touring again.
With animation of Damo's lucid, hospital bed dreams of starvation, riding on motorbikes for food, old cartoons, hypnotised brainwashed birds, fancy hats, mini skirts and medication, Michelle pieces together a beautiful portrait. This is augmented by vintage archive footage and access to his carefully preserved treasure trove of memories, made up of old photos, drawings, posters and more.
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“This documentary is a wonderful story of hope and survival. It’s a personal portrait of the life and times of a nomad, poet, unique performer on his very inspiring journey. This has been a really compelling experience that has changed me on so many levels; and I feel this will transfer to the audience”, concludes Heighway.
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The enigmatic Suzuki was found by the now seminal band CAN in the streets of late ‘60s Germany, praying and performing bare chested in jeans with long black hair. Impressed and inspired, they asked him to play a show with them that night, with no rehearsal. He did, and the rest is history; this was a pivotal point for Damo and his sense of outsider art, centred around creating and performing with no plan.
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(Image above taken from RedBull Academy . Damo shared a great set of sketches which re creates Damo's back story from the 70's , which was another factor that inspired animation within the feature documentary)
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Suzuki is renowned for playing shows that are never rehearsed as part of a never-ending tour with Damo Suzuki's Network, a constantly changing line-up of band members who act as ‘sound carriers’. Damo had been touring the world doing the above for 20 years, before it came to a halt when he was diagnosed with cancer in 2014.
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Damo Suzuki’s never-ending world tour has resulted in some of the most spontaneous and exciting shows in modern music, with the singer enlisting on-the-spot backing bands in cities across the world.
Michelle Heighway runs the independent production company i4visuals. Michelle is known for her critically acclaimed documentary Mr. Somebody? , which is also a rare intimate portrait that took place over 4 years, this was premiered at Sheffield Doc Festival 2014.
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Damo and his Robot Sidekick Image Design by Elliot Elam (Designed for Damo Suzuki Network show at Leeds Brudenell Social Club - Available Products - Mug and Tote Bag.
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Fish Head Design by Lori Wollens T SHIRT DESIGN #1
Available Products - Mug , T-Shirt & Tote Bag.
T SHIRT DESIGN #2 - Abstract Head
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T SHIRT DESIGN #3 - Damo Sketch - Red Hat
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Key Rings/ Bottle Openers - Designed by Anya Clayton
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What is Energy ?
Energy is Michelle Heighway's 2nd Feature Documentary. After critically acclaimed 5 year passion project Mr. Somebody?
The help we require and what you receive in return
We need your support to help us fund the production costs - in return you can choose to receive a neat product/perk (scroll down for the complete list on the right-hand side of this page and view our image gallery at the top of the page underneath the video trailer for photos of the various perks to purchase).
This campaign will cover costs for Post Production
Animation/Archive/Editor / Grade / Music / Music Rights.
To weave wonderful stories of the past and the present and to bring them to life in a way they deserve to be told.
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We have created some unique perks for purchase !
The Impact
Your contribution and sharing of this project with make a huge difference with regards to the progress of completion. To release this independently will be really great for us.
We are also looking to collaborate with Sponsors and Charity Organisations and other free spirited creative producers or philanthropists!!
Why Energy?
This documentary is very universal and will connect hugely to everyone really, from free thinkers , musicians, creatives and people going through battles in life with Cancer or any kind of personal goal or vision. It is a inspiring wonderful journey that I just can not wait to share with you all!
Michelle's successful track record with her 1st Feature was received well via Indiegogo. Which premiered at one of the worlds greatest Documentary festivals Sheffield Doc Festival 2014 and screened at Leeds International 2014.
Other Ways You Can Help
Some people just can't contribute, but that doesn't mean they can't help:
We will be really grateful for all social media sharing!
Re tweet ! - share !
We have loads of cool Indiegogo share tools!
It will also be cool to raise awareness to past Sound Carriers / Musicians that have played with Damo that may also want to share any archive footage!
Thanks so much for reading!
Energy!
PR contacts:
National print: duncan@:9pr.co.uk
Radio, TV and regional: ian@9pr.co.uk
Online: josh@9pr.co.uk
Team
Michelle Heighway - Director
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Michelle is known for her critically acclaimed documentary Mr. Somebody? , which is a rare intimate portrait that took place over 4 years, this was premiered at Sheffield Doc Festival 2014.
Kiran Acharya - Associate Producer
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Campaign trailer edited by Kiran Acharya
Writer at the Quietus and also a freelance Editor based in London.
Ned Netherwood - Associate Producer / Promoter
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Ned is the author of Electric Storm: Daphne, Delia & The BBC Radiophonic Workshop . Ned is also the Founder of wasistdas.co.uk . The Krautrock album review database and everything that comes out of it, such as the acclaimed record label.
Andrew McKee - Editor
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Film Editor/Cinematographer based in Manchester.
Please share this campaign with others and help us to reach our target. We will be posting exclusive updates and news across our social media channels - keep up to date with the production by liking our Facebook page and following us on Twitter and Instagram. We also have a website: www.energythefilm.co.uk
