Michael Gudinski Documentary ‘Ego’ Set For Cinematic Release

The long-awaited-for Michael Gudinski documentary now has a release date, a promotional poster and a trailer.

Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story will premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival Aug. 10, before hitting cinemas nationally from Aug. 31.

The feature-length doco is said to be the definitive account of the late Mushroom Group founder’s “rock‘n’roll life” and a “rare look behind the curtain” of the indie music giant he built from the ground up.

“Famed for his eccentricities and boldness,” reads a statement today (May 25) announcing the project, “the film dives into the psyche and unorthodox tactics of Michael as he became the frontman of a cultural movement and built a music empire whose artists created the soundtrack for a nation.”

Directed by Paul Goldman (Such is Life: The Troubled Times of Ben Cousins), Ego will tell the tale with never-before-seen archive footage, and interviews with the likes of Jimmy Barnes, Vika & Linda Bull, Garbage, Dave Grohl, Vance Joy, Paul Kelly, Kylie Minogue, Mark Seymour, Ed Sheeran, Bruce Springsteen and Sting, and through personal accounts from family and the late entrepreneur himself.

The release of Ego coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Mushroom Group, the sprawling Melbourne based company which, today, spans two-dozen businesses reaching into all areas of music and entertainment.

Ego – The Michael Gudinski Story Poster

Ego, initially pitched with the working title Gudinski, had been announced to the public in March 2022 when it was approved for funding by Screen Australia.

The commission, read a statement at the time, would trace the pivotal events of Gudinski’s life spanning that half-century, from starting his own independent record company to “becoming a major international player and household name in Australia – a rollercoaster ride of iconic artists, classic albums and mega tours.”

Gudinski died March 2, 2021, aged 68, trigging an unprecedented wave of tributes from the global music world, from Paul McCartney to Springsteen and Sheeran, who wrote and dedicated the song “Visiting Hours” to his good friend.

The project is a Mushroom Studios production, which is handling local distribution and international sales. Principal production funding is from Screen Australia in association with VicScreen, with financing support from the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA).

Watch the official trailer for Ego below.