Aviva Press

By Maria Esteves – October 3, 2011

The 49th New York Film Festival 2011(NYFF 2011) press screening of the music documentary GEORGE HARRISON: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD, directed by Martin Scorsese was held at Lincoln Center’s Beale Theater on Saturday, October 1, 2011, 10:00 am. Presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, a live press conference from London via Skype immediately followed the screening with panelists executive producer Margaret Bodde, director Martin Scorsese, producers Olivia Harrison (George Harrison’s wife), Nigel Sinclair, and editor David Tedeschi. Questions posed to director Martin Scorsese, producer Olivia Harrison, and panelists at the press conference included:

The origins of this extraordinary documentary, how did you come to this subject?

How did you decide the structure of the film, deciding what to include, what to leave out, especially when you're dealing with the history of The Beatles, and working with all this archival footage?

What got him the place where he could seek the answers to those questions?
Do you feel he would have still been such a seeker had he just been an ordinary working stiff?

On a similar spiritual quest to George at that time in our culture, how did you think about framing his search in that broader content of what was going on in society at that time?

GEORGE HARRISON: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD is a compelling, thought provoking, and awe inspiring documentary based on the life of world renowned singer, songwriter, guitarist George Harrison (1943-2001). The three and a half hour film begins with the success of The Beatles, then going solo as a musician and singer during his spiritual journey creating timeless classics such as “All Things Must Pass,” “My Sweet Lord,” and “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth). “ The film includes extraordinary archival footage, interviews with his wife Olivia, his son Dhani, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Phil Spector, Tom Petty, and others.

GEORGE HARRISON: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD, directed by Martin Scorsese | USA | 2011 | 208 m | Documentary Feature | A Spitfire Pictures and Sikelia Production. NY Premiere, 49th New York Film Festival,
Alice Tully Hall, Tuesday, October 4, 2011, 6:30pm; debut on HBO October 5, 6, 2011, 9:00pm ET. Available on DVD.

NYFF 2011 Press Conference: from left to right, executive producer Margaret Bodde, director Martin Scorsese, producers Olivia Harrison, Nigel Sinclair, and editor David Tedeschi, GEORGE HARRISON: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD.

NYFF 2011 Press Conference: director Martin Scorsese, GEORGE HARRISON: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD.