From the Award-winning filmmaker of The Filth and the Fury, Julien Temple takes us on a wild ride in his new documentary CROCK OF GOLD – A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan. The cinematic exploration of Ireland’s most beloved punk poet releases in cinemas from 17 December 2020. To celebrate the release, opening night screenings will include exclusive extra concert footage at selected cinemas across Australia.

No one has bared their soul quite like Irish musical icon Shane MacGowan. Growing up in a culture of strong anti-Irish sentiment in Britain, he has lived life to the hilt and beyond, putting every atom of his humanity on the line with his raw, unflinching and unashamed songs. Through creative use of animation by the legendary Ralph Steadman; unseen footage from Temple’s own archives; and contributions from collaborators, artists and most importantly his own family; the film celebrates Shane’s seemingly effortless facility for writing lyrics to some of the world’s most listened to songs including “Fairytale of New York”, the most played Christmas song of the 21st Century in the United Kingdom. Shane captures the spirit of Ireland and the mood of the Irish diaspora whilst on his own very personal voyage into the heart of darkness and always with a drink in hand.

Channelling Shane MacGowan’s unique personality through the vision of his inimitable and eternally vibrant lens, Julien Temple comments; “Irascible, intractable, infuriating, fascinating, appalling, galling, bellicose, comatose, cantankerous, cadaverous, impossible, unstoppable – filming Shane is like flying through a radioactive rainbow, but in the end, there is an inner ‘Crock of Gold’ waiting to be discovered.”

Crock of Gold features a slew of deeply personal conversations with the likes of Johnny Depp, Irish republican politician Gerry Adams, Primal Scream’s frontman Bobby Gillespie, wife Victoria Mary Clarke, sister Siobhan MacGowan and father Maurice.
“Being able to capture Shane in this manner, is a feat in itself. And so, what we have is that rarest of documents, a ringside view into the life, words and mind of Ireland’s greatest punk poet,” says Johnny Depp.

The documentary culminates with Shane’s sixtieth birthday celebration where singers, movie stars and rock ’n roll outlaws gather for a knees-up to remember. Concert footage features Bono, Lisa O’Neil and Nick Cave performing Shane’s songs.
Crock of Gold was awarded the Special Jury Prize for its ‘beautiful, poetic, unflinching and unreconciled punk energy’ when the film premiered at the San Sebastian International Film Festival in September.
Crock of Gold is directed by Julien Temple, Produced by Johnny Depp, Stephen Deuters, Stephen Malit, Julien Temple and distributed by Filmink Presents.