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Presser:
Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird
Press Kit
Directed by Nicolas Jack Davies
Edited by Gary Forrester, David Atkinson
Produced by Clouds Hill Films
In Association with Pulse Films
Producer Johann Scheerer
Executive Producers Sam Bridger, Alice Rhodes
Theatrical Runtime: 127 minutes
Short synopsis
A film that charts the artistic and personal relationship between Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric
Bixler-Zavala (At the Drive-In / The Mars Volta) told almost entirely through hundreds of hours of self shot
footage filmed by Omar over the last 40 years.
Long synopsis
“If this ever gets weird, promise me we can just stop, as nothing is more important than loving you.”
These were the words of Omar Rodríguez-López to his childhood friend Cedric Bixler-Zavala in January 2000, on
the eve of recording a breakthrough album that would change their lives forever.
For a decade they stayed true to this pact, until it was spectacularly broken in a haze of deception, Scientology,
death and betrayal. The friends then spent the following ten years trying to heal those wounds.
This is a documentary film about the artistic and personal relationship between Omar Rodríguez-López and
Cedric Bixler-Zavala (At the Drive-In / The Mars Volta). It is also the story of two immigrant outsiders and their
desire to create their own place in the world.
Told almost entirely through hundreds of hours of intimate footage filmed by Omar Rodríguez-López over the
last 40 years, the documentary charts the duo’s intense and profound journey of friendship, brotherhood, love,
fame, self-discovery, and sacrifice.
A story like no other, the film unflinchingly tackles the greater themes of success, addiction, death, grief,
tragedy, betrayal, forgiveness, and redemption head on.
An intimate portrait of a lifelong friendship and a look at the world through a whole new creative prism.
Director’s statement
In January 2000, after 11 years of friendship, on the way to record what would be their breakthrough album,
leading to their band being labelled “the next Nirvana”, Omar Rodríguez-López stopped the van at the side of
the road and said to his lifelong friend Cedric Bixler-Zavala, “if this ever gets weird, promise me we can just
stop...” For the next decade they stayed true to this pact until it was broken spectacularly in a haze of
Scientology, death and fractured friendship. Omar and Cedric have spent the last decade trying to heal those
wounds.
I spent hours on the phone with Omar Rodríguez-López in February 2020. He told me the story of his and
Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s life together. It blew my mind. Before the end of that month I flew to meet Omar in
January 10 2024
Puerto Rico where we chatted for another day and my excitement to bring to life such a story as a film grew
exponentially. I was given a drive with hundreds of hours of self recorded, self sourced, archived material that
Omar had built during the last 30+ years - as if he always knew that their story should one day be told. It was a
goldmine of the most intimate, funny, creative, emotional footage I had ever seen from anyone, let alone a
couple of musicians. So honest, so raw, so authentic, so wild (at times), so revealing. Coupled with many hours
of interview material we would collect over the next few years, I aimed to build a music feature documentary
like no other: A film where the musical journey would give way to the far more fascinating human one. Yes it’s
a story about two seminal bands - The Mars Volta and At The Drive-In - amongst many more musical projects,
but beyond that this is a story about life, friendship, identity, death, drugs, religion, love. And, ultimately about
how two friends formed an indestructible bond only for it to be broken by the slings, arrows and drama of their
lives, then to be renewed again with so much purpose in recent times. I sincerely hope Omar and Cedric stay
true to their original promise should life take a weird turn again.
It’s been a long journey to the finished film - three years - and it is such a complex dual biographical tale and
therefore a huge undertaking to conceptualise and successfully translate that history into a cohesive feature
length story. I had no preconceived agenda and found I was constantly letting go of manipulative ‘director’
thoughts and trusting where Omar’s footage, in particular, led us. By truly immersing myself in the footage,
stripping it back to just Omar and Cedric’s voices: by being free to use whatever visuals Omar had created at
that time to bring the story to life on screen, and resist sourcing additional content as much as possible. This
went right down to the soundtrack, beyond the recorded music of the bands, being drawn from Omar’s 20+
solo albums and sonic experimentations. It was an unusual process to have so much access to so much creative
output. In the end trusting the creativity of the protagonists is, I believe, the film’s greatest weapon.
I can honestly say I’ve never made such a personal film, never been so invested, or cared so deeply about the
protagonists. It’s my film, yes, that’s the privilege of being a director, but importantly it’s their story. Whilst I
always wanted to be objective and authentic about their life’s journey, as I pieced together fragments of all
kinds of footage, some expressionistic and artful, some brutally raw and real - I always aimed to tread carefully
on the lives of the people within it, to use whatever visual and audio elements I could to convey the most
telling aspects of their lives.
About Nicolas Jack Davies, Director
Nick is a Grammy-nominated and highly awarded storyteller with a reputation for cinematic, innovative and
emotive work, noted for both his formal inventiveness and emphasis on the humanity of his subjects, in
particular their capacity to tell their own stories in their own way.
Nick began his directing career 15 years ago, independently making short films and music videos. This led to a
filming relationship with British boyband Take That that took him from live films of their 2009 comeback tour
and Abbey Road sessions into his first feature, LOOK BACK DON'T STARE: A STORY ABOUT PROGRESS (2010).
Documenting with brutal honesty the rocky reunion of the original five members of this archetypal British pop
group and their relentless struggle for artistic leadership, it drew 5 million viewers on UK television before
screening theatrically worldwide and at CPH:DOX 2011.
Other acclaimed music film work has included the 2014 Grammy-nominated Mumford & Sons concert movie
THE ROAD TO RED ROCKS, and the innovative performance and actuality hybrid PAYDAY for Channel 4, which
received a Grierson nomination, also in 2014. Narrated by the British-Ugandan spoken word artist George the
Poet and following the lives of four Croydon twenty-somethings, PAYDAY was noted for its “unflinching
approach, which got to the heart of each individual, without judgement”.
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In 2018, Nick’s documentary feature RUDEBOY: THE STORY OF TROJAN RECORDS recounted the birth of
multicultural Britain through the arrival of Jamaican music and its integration into the mainstream British pop
scene, as told by the key players, artists and fans of upstart independent music label Trojan Records. Described
by The Hollywood Reporter as an “effortlessly enjoyable viewing experience” Rudeboy enjoyed awards and
worldwide success spanning 30 festivals, including BFI London Film Festival, DOC NYC, IDFA, CPH:DOX, Doc N
Roll and In:Edit.
Nick continues to combine his humane approach to storytelling with ambitious genre experimentation. His
latest feature, OMAR AND CEDRIC: IF THIS EVER GETS WEIRD, charting the life story of one of contemporary
music’s most unique artistic partnerships, comes off the heels of 2022’s livestreamed GORILLAZ: SONG
MACHINE LIVE KONG, which blended live animated, AR hologram and in person performance of musical stars
including Elton John, Beck, Earthgang, Fatoumata Diawara, Robert Smith, Kano, Slowthai, Georgia, Peter Hook,
Lee John, Slaves and Sweetie Irie. It was described by press as a “virtual live music extravaganza” and a “genre
straddling success story”.
About Johann Scheerer, Producer
Johann Scheerer, a music producer, songwriter, author and filmmaker, spearheads Clouds Hill Films. Notably,
his best-selling autobiographical book’s transition into a captivating movie showcases his affinity for the
creative process and further solidifies his presence in the film industry. His diverse background and expertise
have played a pivotal role in shaping Clouds Hill Films as a promising venture.
Born 1982, Johann Scheerer, the founder and sole owner of Clouds Hill Group (https://cloudshill.group),
brought his dream to life in 2005. An artist in his own right, he is a musician, songwriter, producer, engineer
and author of two best-selling books. From Pete Doherty to Rolling Stone, Johann has received endorsements
from artists and publications alike for his skill and creative works.
On the one hand he loves to evolve songs from scratch with raw talented writers or musicians and is always
conscious of developing their talent and their songs and on the other hand also well-established artists and
bands reach out to him to produce their albums. This way of working is further supported by making full use of
the abundant resources at his internationally renowned recording studio Clouds Hill Recordings.
His film productions include “Wir sind dann wohl die Angehörigen“ (Director: Hans-Christian Schmid), “Eure
Kinder” (Director: Aron Krause) and “Los Chidos” (Director: Omar Rodríguez-López).
About Sam Bridger, Executive Producer
An Emmy, Grammy and Grierson nominated documentary filmmaker, Sam Bridger specialises in creating
premium music and pop culture films with high profile talent.
Recent credits as Executive Producer include the Grammy-nominated global Netflix hit Lewis Capaldi: How I’m
Feeling Now, Sundance selected Meet Me In the Bathroom and ODB: The Tale of Two Dirtys.
His films have been selected for worldwide festivals and awards including Sundance, Toronto International Film
Festival, London Film Festival, Tribeca, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, DOC NYC, CPH
DOX, the Emmys, Griersons, Critics Choice Awards, NTA’s, Broadcast Awards, British Independent Film Awards.
Sam has produced, written and directed documentary films and series for Netflix HBO, Apple, Amazon, BBC,
Channel 4, Sky, ITV, BMG, Warner and Universal working with high profile artists including The Rolling Stones,
Beastie Boys, Post Malone, Lewis Capaldi, ODB, LCD Soundsystem, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Strokes, Snoop Dogg,
Muse, The Who, George Clinton, Gorrilaz, Adele and many more.
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About Alice Rhodes, Executive Producer
Alice Rhodes is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, currently Executive Producer for Music Docs at
Pulse Films.
Based in London, Alice specialises in creating premium, high profile films about music and culture. Her remit
spans development through to execution, working with musicians, labels, financiers, on and off-screen talent
to create a slate of exceptional documentaries with distinct personality and storytelling.
Grammy, BAFTA , RTS and Grierson nominated, Alice recently won a National Television Award. Her films are
almost always connected to music in some way, but retain a strong human story at their core.
Recent credits include the award-winning Netflix film Lewis Capaldi: How I'm Feeling Now; Omar & Cedric: If
this Ever Gets weird, which premiered at Raindance Festival, Keith Haring: Street Art Boy which premiered at
Sheffield Doc Fest and Bauhaus 100: directed by Mat Whitecross.
About Clouds Hill Films
Founded in 2020, Clouds Hill Films is an integral part of the Clouds Hill Group, which has been a prominent
player in the creative industry for over 15 years. The group encompasses an internationally renowned studio,
music label and publishing company, all sharing the same name. Over the years, they have been home to many
different music productions from artists like Peter Doherty, Le Butcherettes, The Beach Boys, The Killers, Elbow,
The Whitest Boy Alive, Teenage Fanclub, Albert Hammond Jr, The Libertines, Nicolas Jaar, Alice Phoebe Law and
The Mars Volta. It’s within this dynamic environment that Johann Scheerer’s vision for Clouds Hill Films came to
life.
Johann Scheerer, a music producer, songwriter, author and filmmaker, spearheads the establishment of Clouds
Hill Films. Notably, his best-selling autobiographical book’s transition into a captivating movie showcases his
involvement in the creative process and further solidifies his presence in the film industry. His diverse
background and expertise have played a pivotal role in shaping Clouds Hill Films as a promising venture.
Despite its youthfulness, Clouds Hill Films is merely scratching the surface of its potential. With a dedicated
focus on music-driven projects, Clouds Hill Films collaborates closely with artists like Omar Rodríguez-López,
producing documentaries such as Omar & Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird. Additionally, the company has other
exciting ventures in the works, including a Cashbox documentary. As they continue to push boundaries and
redefine the intersection of these art forms, their contribution to the creative world will undoubtedly leave an
impact.
About Pulse Films
Pulse Films is an award-winning studio that produces content irrespective of format or platform for
audiences worldwide. Part of the Vice Media Group the production studio is dedicated to creating
moments of culture and shaping the future of visual storytelling across its divisions of: Scripted,
Non-Fiction, Commercials and Music Videos.
Working with global streamers and linear broadcasters, Pulse Films’ most recent TV productions
includes the record-breaking, critically acclaimed series and Emmy and BAFTA-nominated returning
series Gangs of London for Sky and AMC; intimate and eye-opening Netflix documentary Lewis
Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now, Sundance Film Festival 2022 music documentary hit Meet Me in the
Bathroom, and the star studded HBO and Sky co-pro Harry Potter: 20thAnniversary Return to
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Hogwarts. The studio’s feature film credits include Pig starring Academy Award-winner Nicholas Cage
and Mogul Mowgli starring Golden Globe nominated Riz Ahmed.
As a global destination for talent, Pulse Films has a roster of filmmakers featuring some of the most
sought-after talent in the industry. With a reputation for undertaking huge productions, their
Advertising work with brands like Apple, Nike, PlayStation, Audi, John Lewis, and IKEA is continuously
met with critical acclaim garnering awards such as the prestigious Best Commercial Emmy, the
Cannes Lions Grand Prix and the Commercial of the year at the British Arrows.
Pulse Films also has a legacy of creating award-winning music, films and videos for renowned global
artists. The company is behind hits such as Beyoncé’s iconic Emmy Award-nominated film Lemonade,
Nick Cave’s 20,000 Days on Earth, The Spike Jonze Directed Beastie Boys Story for Apple TV+, and the
seminal Shut Up and Play the Hits. Our music videos division has worked with musicians of all genres
from Radiohead to ASAP Rocky, Jennifer Hudson, Jorja Smith, Mumford & Sons, Blur, The Fugees and
The Rolling Stones to name a few.
PRESS CLIPPINGS
September 14, 2023
NME
By Surej Singh
New documentary about The Mars Volta and At The Drive-In to premiere in October
https://www.nme.com/news/music/new-documentary-the-mars-volta-at-the-drive-in-premiere-october-34977
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Omar And Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird, an upcoming documentary chronicling the relationship between The Mars Volta
and At The Drive-In bandmates Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodríguez-López, has been announced.
Yesterday (September 13), Cloud Hill Films released a trailer for the upcoming film, which also tells the story of both bands,
explored here through footage captured by Omar Rodríguez-López over the last couple of decades.
The official description for the film reads: “A film that charts the artistic and personal relationship between two era-defining
artists, Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (At the Drive-In/The Mars Volta), told almost entirely through
hundreds of hours of self-shot footage filmed by Omar over the last 40 years.”
Watch the trailer for Omar And Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird below.
Omar And Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird will premiere at the Raindance Film Festival in the UK on October 28. Further
information surrounding the film’s release elsewhere has yet to be announced.
The trailer and news of the documentary came ahead of The Mars Volta’s US tour kick-off in Minneapolis on Wednesday,
September 13. Their US slate of shows is scheduled to run until mid-October and will see them perform 18 more shows.
Find any remaining tickets here.
The Texas-formed band released six studio albums between 2003 and 2012 before splitting due to a falling-out between
founding members Bixler-Zavala and Rodríguez-López. In the years that followed, the pair formed new group Antemasque
and resurrected their pre-Mars Volta outfit At-the-Drive-In for a new record in 2017.
January 10 2024
The Mars Volta returned to release their self-titled record in September last year. The return effort scored a glowing
five-star review from NME‘s Andy Price, who wrote: “‘The Mars Volta’ is a record that seizes the attention instantly,
peppered as it is with arresting top-lines. But it also demands – and handsomely rewards – repeated listens, by virtue of its
meticulously assembled arrangements (just bathe your ears in shining third single ‘Vigil”s luxuriant mix).”
“This isn’t just a striking return for one of the most individual bands of the last 20 years; it is, musically, an astounding
masterpiece. Their finest hour? Quite possibly.”
September 14, 2023
Far Out Magazine
By Jordan Potter
New documentary on The Mars Volta and At The Drive-In to arrive soon
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/documentary-the-mars-volta-at-the-drive-in/
The forthcoming documentary, Omar And Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird, is set to follow the extraordinary story of the
inter-band relationship between the frontmen of The Mars Volta and At The Drive-In.
As well as documenting the story of Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodríguez-López, the movie will follow the wider story
of the two bands. The documentary was mostly composed using footage caught by Rodríguez-López over the last 20 years.
Omar And Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird will premiere on October 28th at the prestigious Raindance Film Festival in the
- Information pertaining to the movie’s wider release is yet to be announced.
The official synopsis for the documentary reads: “A film that charts the artistic and personal relationship between two
era-defining artists, Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (At the Drive-In/The Mars Volta), told almost entirely
through hundreds of hours of self-shot footage filmed by Omar over the last 40 years.”
The announcement of the documentary and its trailer, seen below, coincided with the commencement of The Mars Volta’s
US tour in Minneapolis on September 13th. The band’s tour across the United States is set to continue until mid-October,
encompassing a total of 18 additional dates.
The band, hailing from Texas, released a total of six studio albums spanning from 2003 to 2012. However, a rift between
founding members Bixler-Zavala and Rodríguez-López led to the band’s eventual breakup.
In the subsequent years, the duo embarked on new musical ventures, including the formation of the group Antemasque
and a revival of their pre-Mars Volta project, At the Drive-In, which resulted in a new album in 2017.
September 13, 2023
Consequence of Sound
By Abby Jones
At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta Tell Their Own Story in Trailer for New Documentary: Watch
https://consequence.net/2023/09/omar-and-cedric-if-this-ever-gets-weird-trailer-watch/
September 13, 2020
Brooklyn Vegan
By Amanda Hatfield
New documentary about The Mars Volta's Cedric Bixler-Zavala & Omar Rodríguez-López premiering this fall
https://www.brooklynvegan.com/new-documentary-about-the-mars-voltas-cedric-bixler-zavala-omar-rodrigue
z-lopez-premiering-this-fall/
January 10 2024
September 18, 2023
Metal Injection
By Joel Barrios
OMAR & CEDRIC: If This Ever Gets Weird Is An Upcoming Documentary About THE MARS VOLTA & AT THE
DRIVE IN Duo
https://metalinjection.net/upcoming-releases/omar-cedric-if-this-ever-gets-weird-is-an-upcoming-documentar
y-about-the-mars-volta-at-the-drive-in-duo
September 19, 2023
Front View Magazine
By Front View Magazine
"Omar And Cedric - If This Ever Gets Weird" A Film By Nicolas Jack Davies
https://www.frontview-magazine.be/en/news/omar-and-cedric-if-this-ever-gets-weird-a-film-by-nicolas-jack-d
avies
January 10 2024