Trailer Revealed For 'The Chills: The Triumph & Tragedy of Martin Phillipps'

The trailer for a long-awaited documentary on The Chills' leader Martin Phillipps has been revealed, following the film's recent premiere at Austin's SXSW showcase in mid-March, where The Chills also performed. The trailer for The Chills: The Triumph & Tragedy of Martin Phillipps leads with a collage of vintage footage charting the seemingly unstoppable rise of Phillipps' band, whose work is so strongly tied with Flying Nun Records in the 80s, before zooming into the present day to paint a portrait of the Dunedin icon's current significant health problems. Also touched on is how The Chills famously cycled through over thirty members and how members of the band felt about their potential expendability, as well as Phillipps' current sense of urgency to resolve his life's work, as discussed in his recent interview with local electronic artist Stef Animal you can read here. Directed by Julia Parnell of Notable Pictures (Wilbur: The King in the Ring, Anthems), the film is releasing in cinemas nationwide on Thursday 2nd May.

Martin Phillipps' opened up about his participation in the film. “When I realised that my health might limit my ability to tell my own story, I became very focused on what I needed to achieve with the time I had left... It was important that I honestly confronted what had happened in the past - the highs and the lows. I feel I can stand tall now. This movie is a psychedelic tapestry of tragedy and success that will take people on an unexpected voyage.”

'The Chills: The Triumph & Tragedy of Martin Phillipps' releases on Thursday 2nd May following a gala premiere in Dunedin on Wednesday 1st May.