Jonathan Glazer's first film since The Zone of Interest is a documentary. Joy of Joys will make its world premiere at the 64th New York Film Festival in the Spotlight section. Film at Lincoln Center announced the selection on August 11.
The film documents the recording of HELP(2), a War Child Records charity album made at Abbey Road Studios. Glazer worked again with composer Mica Levi, who scored both Under the Skin and The Zone of Interest. Together, they described the project as "by children, for children."
To make the film, Glazer equipped London schoolchildren with digital cameras and set them loose inside Abbey Road during the album's recording sessions. Contributing artists include Damon Albarn, Olivia Rodrigo, Arctic Monkeys, Beth Gibbons, Fontaines D.C., and Jarvis Cocker. The album has been nominated for the Mercury Prize.
The film also incorporates footage shot by children living in conflict zones. Kids in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, and Yemen were given cameras to document their own lives. That footage runs alongside the Abbey Road sessions.
Joy of Joys will screen during the festival's run from September 25 through October 12. The Spotlight section also includes Tom McCarthy's A Statement, Cristian Mungiu's Palme d'Or winner Fjord, and Jesse Eisenberg's The Debut. Glazer previously attended NYFF with The Zone of Interest in 2023.
