Cargo Film & Releasing Join Shocking Nick Cave Music Doc

Melbourne: 11th July 2023: Cargo Film & Releasing has acquired global rights, excluding Australia & New Zealand, to the documentary “Mutiny In Heaven: The Birthday Party”, commissioned by BMG and produced by Beyond TNC in collaboration with Eyewhite, about the whirlwind life and demise of Nick Cave’s legendary post-punk band The Birthday Party. 

Boutique distributor LABEL will release the film in Australia and New Zealand later in the year with a theatrical run, supported by band members Mick Harvey and Phil Calvert, starting in the band’s birthplace, Melbourne. 

The film, fully authorized by the band’s surviving members and estates, provides a glimpse into another dimension and goes deep inside the psyche and experiences of the band members to chronicle how, over a ten-year period, a group of Australian school friends, led by Nick Cave, jolted audiences awake into Dionysian frenzy with their confrontational, intense performances.

“It was frightening at times…it was insane what was going on…it was just f**king crazy…”

-Rowland S. Howard on The Birthday Party.

 “Mutiny In Heaven” features never-before-seen archival footage and photos, as well never before heard interviews, divulging shocking behind the scenes stories, as it tracks the band’s arc from breakthrough to break-up. During its chaotic heyday in the 70s and 80s, the band consisted of Nick Cave, Mick Harvey, Tracy Pew, Rowland S. Howard and Phill Calvert. After forming in Melbourne and relocating to London, the band became known for darkly unpredictable performances, characterized by primal screams and manic sound and energy – before fiery tensions led to its dramatic self-destruction. While The Birthday Party only released a few albums in its brief run, it established a legacy as one of the greatest musical live acts of all-time, and significantly influenced modern musical artists including My Bloody Valentine and LCD Soundsystem, amongst many others.

Director Ian White has helmed theatrical features and broadcast content in over 15 countries, receiving a number of awards along the way. As a former music industry art director, he worked with a diverse range of acts from Kylie Minogue to The Butthole Surfers. Having witnessed The Birthday Party perform live in its heyday, he had no hesitation when the band approached him to direct this project. 

Band member Mick Harvey serves as Executive Producer and Music Supervisor. Long term friend of the band Wim Wenders is Executive Producer, alongside Bill Lord, Michael Murphy, Stuart Souter and Jenny O’Shea. Producers are Greg Blakey and Ian White.

The deal was negotiated by Cargo President David Piperni and Michael Murphy of Beyond TNC on behalf of the filmmakers. Cargo will present the film at upcoming festivals and is scheduling a theatrical release of the film in North America in the fall of 2023 to coincide with a Nick Cave tour in the US.

Cargo Film & Releasing are EPs, agents and US distributors of documentary film and series. “The Birthday Party: Mutiny In Heaven” will join Cargo’s diverse lineup of premium documentary content which includes the Academy Award-shortlisted film “Hidden Letters,” the SXSW-selected film “Satan Wants You”, and “Black & White Stripes: The Juventus Story”.

About Beyond TNC

Beyond TNC is a joint venture between Australian production company, Beyond Productions International (a Banijay company) and UK based TNC Media Holdings. The company is based in Dublin with subsidiaries in London and Sydney. Beyond TNC’s remit is to develop, finance, produce and distribute music related documentary TV series and feature films. It specialises in archive heavy narratives and, in addition to Mutiny In Heaven: The Birthday Party, has recently been behind productions including Right Here Right Now, the story of Fat Boy Slim’s iconic and out of control party on Brighton beach in 2002, Blitzed which is the tale of the tiny London club in the late 70’s out of which came the whole New Romantic movement, and the upcoming three-part mini-series They All Came Out to Montreux.

About BMG 

BMG’s recent films include the highest grossing documentary film of 2022, Moonage Daydream (HBO Max); DIO: Dreamers Never Die (Showtime) and two feature length documentaries including one on award-winning singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now (Netflix); and Sundance selection Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis), distributed by Utopia and helmed by acclaimed filmmaker Anton Corbijn.