Jesse Rudoy’s acclaimed documentary Dusty & Stones follows a continent-crossing journey story told through country music. The documentary, picked up by First Run Features for a summer theatrical released, intimately chronicles the remarkable ride of cousins Gazi “Dusty” Simelane and Linda “Stones” Msibi, a determined duo of struggling country singers from the tiny African Kingdom of Swaziland who long for their big break. Ahead of the theatrical release, we’re pleased to exclusively debut the first trailer.
John Fink said in his review, “Directed by Jesse Rudoy, Dusty & Stones is an often captivating crowd-pleaser that weaves contemporary politics in its backdrop as the duo make sense of a country that is a failure––one they’ve learned about through Voice of America broadcasts, yet proves very different. These moments include the festival’s intersection with a mass shooting at a Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, TX, killing 26. Rudoy also captures other fish-out-of-water moments as Dusty and Stones navigate American culture—their trying to make sense of various processed flavors of a Taco Bell breakfast wrap, or more uncomfortable moments such as watching an episode of Live PD that evokes apartheid-era ghosts.”
“The project started with a question that I had; are there country music singers outside the United States?,” said director Jesse Rudoy. “They grew up down a small dirt road. Their grandfather was a preacher they’d go to hear every Sunday. They would herd their family’s cattle after school, so you could imagine when they heard My Tennessee Mountain Home by Dolly Parton, these classic country songs, it felt like a soundtrack to their lives. I was like, ‘let me make a film that showcases these guys to be the country stars they are.'”
See our exclusive trailer premiere below:
