'jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy'
Courtesy of Sundance Institute/Photo by NetflixThe Sundance Institute has unveiled the slate of feature films, indie episodic and New Frontier selections that will screen at the 2022 edition of the Park City festival from Jan. 20-30 – and several music-related documentaries are in the mix, including films centered around controversial pop icons Kanye West and Sinead O’Connor.
Perhaps the most attention-grabbing of the newly announced selections is jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy, a documentary described as “an intimate and empathetic chronicle featuring never-before-seen footage from 21 years in the life of a captivating figure.” Directed by Clarence “Coodie” Simmons and Chike Ozah – who have jointly directed multiple music videos for the star now known as Ye – the film will make its world premiere at the next year’s festival before debuting on Netflix at an unspecified date
In an era when the careers and controversies of stars including Britney Spears and Janet Jackson are being reevaluated, a new Sinead O’Connor documentary, Nothing Compares, will also screen at Sundance 2022. Directed by Kathryn Ferguson and world-premiering in the World Cinema Documentary competition, the film will shed new perspective on the career of the Irish singer-songwriter by charting her brief rise to global mega-fame “and subsequent exile from the pop mainstream” between 1987 and 1993 while considering her legacy “through a contemporary feminist lens.”
World-premiering in the U.S. Documentary competition, the film TikTok, Boom will bring festivalgoers the “personal stories of a cultural phenomenon, told through an ensemble cast of Gen-Z natives, journalists and experts alike” in considering the vide-sharing app’s brief but controversial history. Meet Me In the Bathroom, meanwhile, is described as “an immersive journey” through the New York music scene of the early 2000s. Directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace, it’s based on the book of the same name by Lizzy Goodman and will have its world premiere as part of Sundance’s Midnight section.
Other music documentary world premieres slated for next year’s festival include Sirens directed by Rita Baghdadi (World Cinema Documentary competition), which will center its lens on “the Middle East’s first all-female metal band” as they pursue stardom; and Mija (NEXT section) directed by Isabel Castro, which documents an ambitious young music manager “whose undocumented family depends on her ability to launch pop stars.”
The 2022 Sundance Film Festival is a hybrid event that will take place in-person in Park City, Utah, online and through “satellite screens” at seven arthouse cinemas across the U.S. that will showcase a curated selection of films during the festival’s closing weekend (Jan. 28-30).
See the Sundance 2022 online film guide and schedule here. Ticket packages go on sale Dec. 17 and single tickets will be available for purchase on Jan. 6.
Rick Astley will take viewers on a reflective look back at his life and career when he appears alongside Dermot O’Leary in a new episode of Reel Stories, due to air on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in February 2026.
The series, first broadcast in 2018, invites major music figures into a London cinema to revisit key moments from both their personal lives and professional paths. With his 60th birthday approaching next year, Astley becomes the latest musician to sit down with O’Leary for the thoughtful and personal conversation.
Looking back on taking part, Astley said: “I loved doing Reel Stories with Dermot O’Leary, what a treat to be taken back to the start and come right through to today. Dermot is the perfect companion to go on that rollercoaster of emotion, love and thanks, Rick x.”
O’Leary shared his own praise for the experience, saying: “What a pleasure to spend time with Rick and hear him talk so openly about his memories from over the decades. I’ve long been a fan of his… A true gent, wise soul and real talent. I hope that viewers enjoy this extended interview as much as I did.”
Rachel Davies, Commissioning Editor for BBC Pop Music TV, described the timing of the episode as ideal. She said: “Reel Stories is all about telling artists’ stories in a unique way… I’m thrilled that in February, Dermot will be joined by the one and only Rick Astley, celebrating Rick’s life and work as he reaches his 60th birthday.”
The programme follows Astley’s journey from his early work with the soul group FBI through to becoming an international pop star guided by Stock Aitken Waterman. He revisits his first appearance on Top of the Pops, speaks about the intense pressure that followed worldwide success when Never Gonna Give You Up reached number one in 25 countries, and reflects on his decision to step back from fame to focus on family.
Astley also talks about how his music found a new audience through the Rickrolling phenomenon, his return to recording after a 20 year break with encouragement from comedian Peter Kay, and his later career revival. This includes the success of his 2016 album 50 and his appearance on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage in 2023.
As part of the themed evening, viewers will also be able to watch a repeat of Astley’s Glastonbury performance along with Stock Aitken Waterman at the BBC. The additional programme features classic moments from Astley as well as performances by Dead or Alive, Donna Summer, Bananarama, Mel and Kim, and Kylie and Jason Donovan.
Astley now joins a notable group of past Reel Stories guests that includes Dave Grohl, Jon Bon Jovi, Kylie, Noel Gallagher, Pet Shop Boys, Robbie Williams, Shania Twain, Rod Stewart, Sting, and Take That.
