No Wave filmmaker Beth B’s documentary about the provocative and rebellious musician Lydia Lunch premiered at New York’s IFC Center on 30th June to a sold-out audience. With theatres and virtual cinemas showing the film across the US, Lydia Lunch: The War is Never Over has been chosen as The New York Times Critic’s Pick and earned positive reviews from publications such as Rolling Stone, The Hollywood Reporter and The Independent.
The documentary “tells the story of an iconic underground New York City misfit and her durable career” (Glenn Kenny – The New York Times) over a series of interviews, archival footage, photographs and current day performances. It details Lunch’s artistic career which began in the late 1970s with her band Teenage Jesus and the Jerks and follows her journey as a songwriter, musician and iconic spoken-word artist. Throughout the film, we learn about her eclectic range of collaborators including Alan Vega (Suicide), Hubert Selby Jr., Nick Cave and Sonic Youth.
Lydia is set to go on tour in Europe concurrent with the release of the film in select cities. To listen to a collection of songs written by Lydia, access her Spotlight reel here.
Explore a range of articles and reviews of the biopic via the links below:
“Beth B’s documentary on the singer/provocateur/No Wave icon looks, sounds and feels like a Lydia Lunch song: raw, loud, unfiltered and unflinching.”
“Refreshingly, the documentary isn’t a retrospective of Lunch’s former glory, but a celebration of her still-active artistry, looking at her band Teenage Jesus & the Jerks, her cinematic collaborations with Richard Kern, and her recent Retrovirus tour. After nearly five decades on the stage, she shows no signs of waning, and exudes a gravitas earned over time.”
The New York Times Critic’s Pick
“The musician, writer and spoken-word artist Lydia Lunch is an immediately provocative figure. The name alone, right?”
Lydia Lunch: “With a comedian, the audience waits for the punchline. In my work, the audience waits for me to punch them in the face.”