Sundance Selects has released the first trailer for Blaze. Directed by Ethan Hawke and starring newcomer Ben Dickey as Blaze Foley, the film follows reimagined version of Blaze’s past, present, and future as it explore the impact his music had on fans, friends, and foes during his life and death.

Although I’m not really familiar with the Texas outlaw music movement, this looks like a powerful movie, and one that should definitely be a must-see for those who are fans of the people Foley inspired. At the very least, it looks like a kindred spirit to Inside Llewyn Davis, which is enough to get me through the door.

Check out the Blaze trailer below. The film opens in August in Texas and in all other markets in September. Blaze also stars Alia Shawkat, Charlie Sexton, Josh Hamilton, Richard Linklater, Alynda Segarra, Sam Rockwell, Steve Zahn, and Kris Kristofferson.

Here’s the official synopsis for Blaze:

Directed by Ethan Hawke, BLAZE stars newcomer Ben Dickey as Blaze Foley, the unsung songwriting legend of the Texas outlaw music movement that spawned the likes of Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. The film weaves together three different periods of time, braiding re-imagined versions of Blaze’s past, present and future. The different strands explore his love affair with Sybil Rosen (Alia Shawkat); his last, dark night on earth; and the impact of his songs and his death had on his fans, friends, and foes. The storyline terminates in a bittersweet ending that acknowledges Blaze's profound highs and lows, as well as the impressions he made on the people who shared his journey.

 

BLAZE premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival where Dickey’s performance won him the Special Jury Award for Achievement in Acting. Dickey stars alongside Alia Shawkat, Charlie Sexton, Josh Hamilton, Richard Linklater, Alynda Segarra, Sam Rockwell, Steve Zahn and Kris Kristofferson.  Co-written by Hawke and Sybil Rosen, BLAZE is based on Rosen’s memoir Living in the Woods in a Tree: Remembering Blaze Foley.

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Image via Sundance Selects