Heading into theaters and VOD this Friday is one of the best music-related documentaries we’ve seen in some time, Mistaken For Strangers. Tracking Brooklyn-based, Ohio-born band The National, the film is directed by Tom Berninger (brother of frontman Matt), and chronicles the tour for their album High Violet in an unexpectedly candid fashion.
One of our early favorites of the year, we said in our review, that “for fans and newcomers alike, Mistaken For Strangers is a raw, unembellished look at not only one of music’s rising bands, but of the creative process in general. Exemplified in early footage of their humble beginnings (with concerts sometimes not featuring a single audience member), Tom Berninger harnesses in on the theme of growth and the long road it takes to achieve something substantial — whether you are a now-famous musical act or siblings that have formed a renewed bond. ”
Ahead of its release, Pitchfork have debuted a perfect primer for the film, a 10-minute short directed by Zac Nicholson that looks at its Tribeca Film Festival premiere last year, as well as mixing in footage from the trailer. We’ve also embedded seven minutes worth of clips (from Digital Spy, WSJ, and The Playlist) so check everything out below, and for more, see the band’s recent 2.5-hour performance at Sydney Opera House, as well as Vincent Moon‘s 2008 documentary on the band, A Skin, A Night here.
Mistaken For Strangers hits VOD and theaters on March 28th.