HBO Documentary on 'Earth, Wind & Fire' to Kick-Start 25th Tribeca Festival

The 25th Tribeca Festival will start off on June 3 with an HBO original documentary, "Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World)", as announced by the Tribeca Festival organizers. Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker, directed the film which will be showcased at the Beacon Theatre. This premiere will be complemented by a live performance from the subjects of the documentary themselves, the nine-time Grammy-winning band 'Earth, Wind & Fire', along with the renowned musical group The Roots.

Jane Rosenthal, Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Tribeca Festival, expressed her joy at celebrating the festival's silver anniversary with such a special opening night. She echoed the festival's initial belief of storytelling having the power to unite communities. She expressed gratitude for the inspiring and surprising collaborations of artists, filmmakers, musicians, and audiences in New York City over the last 25 years.

The documentary pans a lens over 'Earth, Wind & Fire's' cultural influence, their substantial legacy, and body of work while paying special attention to founder Maurice White and his vision for the group. Thompson, Dave Sirulnick, Samantha Grogin, KB White, and Arron Saxe produced the film, while Zarah Zohlman, Shawn Gee, Jon Kamen, Cheo Hodari Coker, and Amos Newman served as executive producers.

Pleased about showcasing the project at the Tribeca Festival, Thompson shared how the intense research and creative process involving 'Earth, Wind & Fire' over the past couple of years was transformational. He praised the band as one of the most culturally significant musical groups in history, attributing the film's intention to appropriately depict their important legacy.

The complete Tribeca Festival lineup will be revealed at a later date. The festival passes and ticket packages for the 2026 Tribeca Festival are already available at tribecafilm.com.