Guitar documentary starring Jimmy Page to compete at Berlin Film Festival

A new guitar documentary starring Jimmy Page is now among films set to compete in the Berlin Film Festival next month. "It Might Get Loud" has been selected for the competition at the festival, which begins Feb. 5 and spans 11 days. Variety's Ed Meza reports:

"The main section will unspool 26 films. Among those, 18 will contend for the Golden and Silver Bears, while eight will screen out of competition."

Tickets to the film's only two screenings at the Berlin Festival, scheduled for Feb. 10 and 11, are to become available Feb. 2. There will also be two screenings in Berlin affiliated with the European Film Market, on Feb. 7 and 11.

As previously reported by LedZeppelinNews.com, "It Might Get Loud" documents the first meeting of three generations of guitarists, including Page with Jack White and The Edge.

Following the film's screening at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this month, Blake Wood writes for the Nashua (N.H.) Telegraph that "It Might Get Loud" was his "personal favorite" among the documentaries:

"Though Sundance is known for its politically, socially and environmentally conscious work, my personal favorite was 'It Might Get Loud,' by Davis Guggenheim ('An Inconvenient Truth'). The creative spirits of three master electric guitarists, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), the Edge (U2) and Jack White (White Stripes) radiate, as they wax eloquent about inspirations and jamming together in this elegant film."

It was previously announced that the film would be slated for international distribution in theaters beginning around August, through Sony Pictures Classic. The Nashua Telegraph article inaccurately mentions a DVD release of the film around that time, while a press agent for the film confirms that a theatrical release is planned for August instead.

In the movie, the three guitarists jam at an arranged "summit," performing U2's "I Will Follow," White's "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," the Band's "The Weight" and Led Zeppelin's "In My Time of Dying." The sight of the three of them playing that Zeppelin song left an impression on Guggenheim, who says in a Q&A:

"What I love about this movie, and what makes it so unique, is how the scale will change from Edge alone in his studio late night - to the three of them jamming on a Led Zeppelin track together with the volume full blast and the cameras capturing every angle."

The film also contains the first new music from Page aired publicly since 1999: a pair of instrumentals called "Embryo No. 1" and "Embryo No. 2." Viewers also watch as Page turns tour guide at Headley Grange and recounts what it was like to record Zep's fourth album there, and how they mic'ed up John Bonham's drums.

The movie made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last September, with a screening attended by all three guitarists. White attended the film's U.S. debut at Sundance.