‘Boy George & Culture Club’ Documentary Set For June Release

Culture Club Kissing to Be Clever

Boy George & Culture Club is coming to a theater near you. After acquiring U.S. distribution rights, Vantage Media has set a June 9 theatrical release date for director Alison Ellwood’s latest music documentary, which drew rave reviews upon premiering at Tribeca Film Festival last year.

Chronicling Boy George’s rise and the global impact of his band Culture Club, the doc combines archival clips, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage to provide what’s billed as an “intimate and unfiltered” look at a new wave pioneer and queer icon. It’s the latest in a series of music docs from Ellwood, who previously directed The Go-Go’s, Laurel Canyon, and Cyndi Lauper: Let the Canary Sing.

“Bringing this film to audiences is incredibly exciting for us,” said Kellie Mutch of Vantage Media. “It’s not only a celebration of an iconic artist and era, but also a deeply human story about creativity, perseverance, and cultural influence. Ellwood has crafted something truly special—both intimate and expansive—and we’re proud to be the home for its North American release.”

Reviewing Boy George & Culture Club from Tribeca last June, The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney wrote, “Anyone with fond memories of Culture Club’s heyday will likely be hooked from the moment the harmonica enters in the opening bars of ‘Church of the Poison Mind,’ still one of the catchiest bops of the 1980s.” He continued, “That song is a welcome reminder that while the band fronted with iconoclastic style by Boy George might have emerged out of the New Romantic scene, their musical influences ran from blue-eyed soul to reggae, Motown, calypso and even a dash of country on ‘Karma Chameleon.’”

YouTube Video
Click to load video

“I was most surprised by how forthcoming George, Jon [Moss], Mikey [Craig], and Roy [Hay] were in telling their story,” Ellwood told Rolling Stone of the film’s creative process. “Their powerful testimony takes us on a very personal and immersive journey, with each member experiencing the trials and tribulations of fame and success. I think the audience will be surprised by the depth and sophistication of their catalogue, even beyond the big hits that we all associate with the band.”

Boy George & Culture Club was produced by Propagate in association with Fine Point Films, Primary Wave Music, and Polygram Entertainment, with producer credits for Natalia Nastaskin, Lawrence Mestel, David Blackman, Trevor Birney, and Andrew Tully. Executive producers on the film include Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens, James Packer, Drew Buckley, Isabel San Vargas, Andrew D Corkin, and Eimhear O’Neill.

Browse Culture Club’s music on vinyl here.