Berlin Immersion: David Bowie's 1978 Tour Returns to the City

Brett Morgen will bring David Bowie back to Berlin through a new immersive concert experience titled Stages. The filmmaker, who was nominated for an Oscar for Moonage Daydream, is set to present the world premiere of the project at the 2027 Berlin International Film Festival. The event marks a return to the German capital for the late musician, who died in 2016 at age 69.

The production relies on original camera footage from Bowie’s 1978 Isolar II World Tour. Morgen discovered the material while researching his 2022 documentary Moonage Daydream. The tour featured performances of songs from Heroes, an album Bowie wrote and recorded while residing in Berlin. The David Bowie Estate cooperated in the creation of Stages, mirroring the collaboration on the earlier documentary.

The experience combines large-scale projections of the restored footage with transparent LED screens. A three-screen presentation will display the archival video alongside new visual elements. Patrick Woodroffe, a lighting designer known for work with ABBA, Adele, and Michael Jackson, created the lighting design. Woodroffe previously lit the Rolling Stones concert documentary Shine a Light, which opened the Berlinale in 2006.

Paul Massey, an Academy Award-winning sound mixer, crafted a special audio mix for the event. Massey, who mixed Bohemian Rhapsody, designed the soundscape to place viewers at the center of the performance. The goal is to replicate the acoustic experience of attending a live concert by Bowie.

Tricia Tuttle, the director of the Berlinale, described the premiere as a dream come true for the festival. She noted that the city is closely connected to Bowie. "The Berlinale is a place where cinema, art, and new forms of storytelling intersect," Tuttle said. She added that the Berlin location makes the experience especially meaningful because of the artist's history with the city.

Morgen will attend the festival as a headline contributor to the European Film Market’s talks program. He is also known for directing Cobain: Montage of Heck and Jane, a documentary about primatologist Jane Goodall. His 1999 boxing film On The Ropes earned him an Oscar nomination.

Stages will premiere on February 14, 2027, at the Uber Arena in Berlin. This date falls on the first weekend of the festival. The 77th Berlin International Film Festival is scheduled to run from February 10 to February 21, 2027.