22nd Calgary Underground Film Festival

April 17-27, 2025

13th CUFF.Docs Documentary Film Festival

November 19-23, 2025

Devo

United States, United Kingdom, 2024: 93 minutes: Canadian Premiere
Archives 2024
DEVO_Barry_Schultz
Globe Cinema
Fri, Nov 22 7:00 PM Buy

description

An exploration of the gloriously radical spirit that is Devo – a rare band founded by a philosophy; a Dada experiment of high art meets low, hellbent on infiltrating American popular culture.

Through never-before-seen archival and interviews with Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Mothersbaugh, and Jerry Casale, acclaimed filmmaker Chris Smith (WHAM!, FYRE, AMERICAN MOVIE, and JIM & ANDY: THE GREAT BEYOND) relishes in the highs, lows, surreal moments, and incredible performances of a 50-year career, embracing the spectacle of the band from their lo-fi beginnings to pioneers of the music video in the early days of MTV’s cultural dominance. Finding mainstream success at the height of 1980s consumerism, Devo soundtracked the "De-Evolution" they’d long predicted – and influenced a 21st century they’d have never believed.

AFTER PARTY!
Please join us after the screening at The Palomino for a night of Devo cover bands, and other live music & DJ's. Doors open 8pm/ show 9pm. More details here!

OFFICIAL SELECTION
Sundance 2024
Sheffield International Documentary Festival 2024
Nashville Film Festival 2024
Cleveland International Film Festival 2024

DIRECTOR'S BIO
Chris Smith helms Library Films, which produces and finances premiere documentary projects. Chris' projects include the Emmy-nominated documentaries JIM & ANDY, FYRE, TIGER KING, and the Emmy-winning 100 FOOT WAVE. His first documentary, AMERICAN MOVIE, won the Grand Jury prize at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. Other projects include OPERATION VARSITY BLUES and the series BAD VEGAN, along with the newly released SR., BRANSON and WHAM!. His latest feature, DEVO, premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

CJSW Curated Playlist

press for Devo

"DEVO is a music doc that matches the tone and spirit of its subject, bursting with energy and creativity."
- RogerEbert.com
"By the time it settles into a music-doc groove ... you’re already in a Devo state of mind: perverse, critical, pop culturally cracked and politically conscious."
- Rolling Stone

details

Music / Documentary

English
93 minutes

credits

Director
Chris Smith

Executive Producers
Mandy Chang
William Kennedy
Stuart Souter
Kathy Rivkin Daum
Charlie Cohen
Stacy Smith
Stuart Goldstein
Vanessa Case

Producers
Chris Smith
Danny Gabai
Anita Greenspan
Chris Holmes

Cinematographer
Chris Smith

Cast
Mark Mothersbaugh
Jerry Casale
Bob Mothersbaugh

Music
Mark Mothersbaugh

community

awards

WINNER: Audience Award, Best Documentary Feature

Presenting Partner

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Partner

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Community Partner

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