U2: Rai5 airs the documentary "Bono: In Search of a Saviour", on the story of Bono and the Dublin band

On Thursday, February 12th at 00:35 on Rai 5 (and later streaming on RaiPlay), "Bono: in attesa di un salvatore" airs. The documentary, directed by Ruth Skirrow, moves between the musical journey of U2, one of the most important rock bands of the last forty years, and Bono Vox's work for civil rights.

Regarded by the British as one of the most influential figures in music—enough to earn him a spot on the "100 Greatest Britons" list—thanks to his civil rights activism, including the fight against apartheid, Bono was even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.

Recently, Paul Hewson, aka Bono, also released his first autobiography, "Surrender – 40 Songs, One Story". "When I started writing this book," he said, "I hoped to spell out in detail what I had previously only ever portrayed in songs. The people, the places, the opportunities life has given me. Surrender is a word full of meaning for me. Growing up in Ireland in the '70s with your hands up (musically speaking) wasn't a natural concept, and I circled around this word until I gathered my thoughts for the book. I still cling to this kind of imperative: in the band, in marriage, in faith, in my life as an activist. Surrender is the story of a pilgrimage that doesn't arrive anywhere... but with plenty of fun along the way." The usual Bono, in other words, playing at wrongfooting and disorienting readers through the pages of his life, his band and his country, of which he has become the ultimate musical icon.

The biography was followed by a documentary eagerly awaited by U2 fans: "Bono: Stories of Surrender", available from May 30th on Apple TV+. The film documents the theatrical tour of the same name that the Irish frontman held between 2022 and 2023 to accompany his autobiography "Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story". A narrative and musical journey that also brought Bono to Italy, with a single, memorable stop at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, where some scenes of the film were shot.

Directed by Andrew Dominik, who previously directed "The Assassination of Jesse James" and "Blonde", "Bono: Stories of Surrender" brings to the screen the most intimate and theatrical side of the Dublin-born singer. The film is drawn from the solo show "Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief..." and offers a deep, personal look at Bono's life: from family to faith, from friendships to the music that defined an era. Among the documentary's sequences are also previously unseen footage from the show at New York's Beacon Theatre, featuring new versions of U2's most celebrated songs. The documentary is produced by Jon Kamen and Dave Sirulnick of RadicalMedia ("Summer of Soul", "Hamilton", "David Byrne's American Utopia") together with Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner's Plan B Entertainment ("F1", "Moonlight", "12 Years a Slave"). Executive producers include Bono himself, Jennifer Pitcher ("Kiss the Future") and Kelly McNamara ("V-U2 an Immersive Concert Film at Sphere Las Vegas").

Watch the trailer for "Bono: Stories of Surrender" below.

Rumors have long been swirling about U2's new recording project, and according to Bono and The Edge, there's not just one album in the works, but possibly more than one. The Irish frontman, however, while confirming that the band is in the studio with Brian Eno, made clear that their goal isn't to look back, but to surprise once again: "Nostalgia shouldn't be indulged for too long. Sometimes you have to reckon with the past to get to the present and the future," Bono explained. "We want to get back to the moment we're living in. We've recorded, and to me it already feels like the future. We've had to overcome a few difficulties, but now we're ready to move forward."

U2's most recent album, "Songs Of Surrender" (2023), featured new versions of songs from their back catalogue. Their last LP of all-new material, however, was "Songs Of Experience" from 2017. In 2022, Bono revealed that the band had nearly finished a new record titled "Songs Of Ascent", which was then shelved in favour of making a "noisy, defiant and merciless" guitar album.

In late 2023, U2 held a residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas, an experience documented in the immersive concert film "V-U2". Following the release of the live EP "Zoo Tv Live From Dublin 1993", last month Bono and co. released "Happiness", a previously unreleased track dating back to the recording sessions for "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb".

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