Filmmakers Nyla Bialek Adams and Laurie Trombley use interview and concert footage of Jeff intermixed with interviews with his mother, friends and other artists inspired by him to weave a portrait of a man who was invested in his music and his world in a deep, meaningful way but who then left it too soon and in a manner that lent additional mystery to him. This is a personal film - obviously personal to the filmmakers but also in that it is less about his music and his story and more about his art and the choices he made in regard to it.
The Saturday showing of this film at Cinequest looked to be sold out and probably ninety percent of the 600 people there were already Jeff Buckley fans - the built-in audience for this film is there; but not all of us were and still, the movie fascinates. Jeff is fascinating in the interviews with him and the footage of him performing. And the reaction to him from artists of all kinds and fans is also fascinating because the film gives you an opportunity to understand what the source of so much inspiration is all about. It's as much about them as it is about Jeff.
Cinequest deserves a lot of credit for putting this film together with the short film Stranger: Bernie Worrell on Earth about keyboard genius Bernie Worrell, considered a modern master by those in the know - except not too many people are "in the know". Stranger ends with the question of what Bernie's legacy will be and whether he will just fade into footnotes after he dies. It's an interesting lead in to Jeff Buckley's story which is also really about someone who gets their mainstream recognition after their death and the legacy they leave behind.
Amazing Grace: Jeff Buckley
