“Despite the fact that his path is strewn with tragedies, addiction and loss, he never fails to regain his bearings,” director says of guitarist.
A career-spanning documentary about Eric Clapton, called A Life in 12 Bars, is currently in the works.
Lili Fini Zanuck will direct the film, with Searching for Sugar Man producer John Battsek on board as producer, Variety reports. The Clapton documentary team also includes editor Chris King, who worked on Asif Kapadia’s Amy and Senna.
“Clapton’s music is the foundation of our film. His commitment to the blues, its traditions and originators, is absolute from his earliest days,” Zanuck said in a statement. “He was also forever restless in his search of a suitable vehicle to shape and grow his artistic voice, often bewildering fans and the media with sudden changes in musical direction, bands, songs, guitar style, tone and physical appearance.”
The documentary, which will debut footage to potential buyers at the European Film Market, had unprecedented access to “extensive personal archive of classic performance clips, on- and off-stage footage, iconic photos, concert posters, handwritten letters, drawings and personal diary entries,” producers said.
A Life in 12 Bars will chart Clapton’s rise from Bluesbreaker to guitar god to three-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and his many projects in between. The film also provides an introspective look into personal turmoil Clapton faced, including his drug addictions and the 1991 death of his son.
“It is indeed a melancholic victory lap, full of nostalgic myth, but always musically potent, always looking to the future,” Zanuck added. “Despite the fact that his path is strewn with tragedies, addiction and loss, he never fails to regain his bearings and continue to serve what he holds dearest: his music.”
No release date for the documentary has been announced.
