A 50-year-old man convinces you Sparks are legends—or dies trying. Gloriously unhinged.
As he turns 50, filmmaker Pini Schatz sets out to explore his life-long obsession with the band Sparks (the brothers Ron and Russell Mael). Pini charts the impact of Sparks on his life while meeting with fellow Sparks fans, among them famous musicians, in Tel Aviv, London, Berlin, Rotterdam and NYC. Structured as a personal quest of the filmmaker to prove that Sparks are the coolest underrated band in the history of popular music, this docu-comedy explores the universal themes of growing old and being an outsider, the importance of art in daily life and the power of non-conformism.
Acting
Ron Mael's terrifying stillness vs Russell's kinetic chaos.
Direction
Pini's desperate, endearing mission to validate his life.
Writing
Fan testimonies that feel like confessional therapy.
Director
Pini Schatz
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Sparks have influenced everyone from Queen to Björk to Franz Ferdinand, yet never cracked the US top 40—making them the ultimate musicians' musicians.
Ron Mael's Hitler-mustache-and-stare combo caused actual concert walkouts in the 70s; the brothers leaned into the discomfort.
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