Washington, DC [US], September 29 : Singer-songwriter and guitarist Bruce Springsteen made a surprise appearance at the New York Film Festival, performing his song "Land of Hope and Dreams" after the premiere of his biopic "Deliver Me From Nowhere," on the iconic musician starring Jeremy Allen White as the Boss, reported Variety.
During the performance, he reflected on the current state of the world, saying, "These days we have daily events reminding us of the fact that we're living through these particularly dangerous times". He emphasised the importance of holding onto hope and ideals, despite the challenges and dangers of the modern world.
Springsteen's statement highlights his concern about the growing divisions and tensions in society. He contrasted the America he sees as a "land of hope and dreams" with one marked by "fear or divisiveness or government censorship or hatred", emphasising that the latter is not the America worth fighting for.
Springsteen said in his speech, "These days we have daily events reminding us of the fact that we're living through these particularly dangerous times. I spent my life on the road, moving around the world as kind of a musical ambassador for America ... trying to measure the distance between American reality, where we've often fallen short of our ideals."
He added, "But for a lot of folks out there, she continues to be a land of hope and dreams, not of fear or divisiveness or government censorship or hatred."
The film, adapted from Warren Zanes' 2023 best-selling book of the same name, is set in the early '80s at a key time in Springsteen's career as he was recording the personal, acoustic songs that would make up his Nebraska album while also working on the song 'Born in the USA' and navigating his growing fame, according to the outlet.
It is directed by Scott Cooper. In addition to White as the main lead, 'Deliver Me From Nowhere' stars Jeremy Strong as Springsteen's longtime manager Jon Landau, as well as Marc Maron, Stephen Graham, Gaby Hoffman, Paul Walter Hauser, David Krumholtz and Odessa Young.
'Deliver Me From Nowhere' is set to release in theatres on October 24.
Before performing 'Land of Hopes and Dreams' on an acoustic guitar, Springsteen spoke about the film, thanking White for "playing a much better-looking version of me." Springsteen went on to thank Strong for playing a "much, much better-looking version of Jon," as quoted by Variety.
The rock legend also honoured his late parents, Douglas "Dutch" Springsteen and Adele Springsteen, who Graham and Hoffman portray in the movie. "They're all gone now, so it's nice to have this piece of film," Springsteen said, according to Variety.
The performance was part of the festival's celebration of Springsteen's life and work, with the biopic "Deliver Me From Nowhere" exploring his life during the recording of his album "Nebraska" in the early 1980s. The film features Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen and has received praise for its portrayal of the rock legend's life and music.
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