‘LennoNYC’ Director Michael Epstein To Helm Feature Doc About John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’

LennoNYC director Michael Epstein is making a feature-length documentary about John Lennon’s Imagine record for British broadcaster Channel 4.

The 90-minute film – John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky – will feature unseen archive and access to John’s estate to tell the story of John Lennon and Yoko Ono against the backdrop of the recording.

Produced by Eagle Rock Pictures, the film will tell the story of Yoko meeting John and how they inspired each other to make the record.

It will include an exclusive interview with Ono as well as those closest to the couple during that period including photographer David Bailey, who famously captured the couple in a 1971 photograph that ended up on the cover of Vogue, gallerist John Dunbar, who set up Yoko’s first show and introduced the couple, pioneering studio designer Eddie Veale, and John’s eldest son Julian.

It will also feature the first demo of Imagine, which was discovered by their audio archivist in an unmarked eight-track box.

Director Epstein said, “The message of Imagine is just as powerful today as it was when John and Yoko wrote it nearly fifty years ago. I look at the world, see it overcome with hate and engaged in wars seemingly without end, and I truly miss John’s voice. We need him now more than ever. And that is what we hope to do with Above Us Only Sky: show how John and Yoko’s message of peace and love still matters.”

Jonny Rothery, Channel 4 Commissioning Editor for Music & Formats, who ordered the film said, “We are thrilled to have commissioned this remarkably personal documentary and delighted to be working alongside Yoko Ono and Eagle Rock Films to deliver an amazingly engaging piece of television.”

Eagle Rock Entertainment Chairman and CEO Terry Shand added, “With exclusive access to the extensive Lennon video, audio and photo archive, including much previously unseen material as well as interviews with a wide range of people directly involved with the recording, this is an exciting opportunity to tell this story fully for the first time.”