Baz Luhrmann brought Elvis Back To Toronto for what would become an epic night at the Toronto International Film Festival for the world premiere of 'EPiC - Elvis Presley in Concert'.
Robert Frieser looks back on the event.
Toronto has always had a special place in Baz Luhrmann’s story. Thirty-five years ago, when he premiered 'Strictly Ballroom', no one wanted the film. “It was going straight to video,” Luhrmann admitted on stage at the Princess of Wales Theatre, visibly emotional. “And then we came here. Toronto embraced us. We knew we were safe. I’m sorry it took me 35 years to say thank you.”
This time, he returned with the world premiere of 'EPiC - Elvis Presley in Concert'. Not a documentary, not a straightforward concert film, but what Luhrmann calls a tone poem: a cinematic experience where Elvis tells his own story through music, voice, and image.
From The Salt Mines To The Big Screen
Seven years ago, Luhrmann heard whispers of lost Elvis material. With the resources to investigate, he sent a team to the Kansas salt mines where Hollywood negatives are stored. “We found 59 hours of film,” said editor Jonathan Redmond. “Two full concert films, tour footage, even 8mm reels. But no synced sound. Only the vocal tracks survived."
Restoring it was a marathon. “It took two years just to sync picture and sound,” Redmond explained. “We clawed audio back from work prints, RCA archives, even shady trades in parking lots. Some of it was scary. But we had no choice.” Luhrmann grinned: “Jono basically lived under his desk for two years. But look at the result.”
Elvis Tells His Own Story
The creative choice was radical: no critics, no friends reminiscing, no biographers. “You know how it always goes,” Luhrmann joked. “‘I saw Elvis once at a gas station, we were close, I wrote a book.’ Not this time. We found a 45-minute tape of Elvis, exhausted in rehearsal, just talking about his life. And he says: ‘There’s been a lot said, but I’d like the opportunity to tell you my side of the story.’ That was the turning point. Elvis became the storyteller.”
Instead of outside voices, EPiC lets Elvis narrate through rare interviews and electrifying performances. “For someone not known as very verbal,” Luhrmann said, “you hear him vulnerable, candid, deeply human.”
Showmanship And Spirituality
For Luhrmann, Elvis’ showmanship was never empty spectacle. “Go into a gospel church, there’s theatricality there too. It’s about creating community, a spiritual unity. Elvis understood that. He could reach your heart and your head at the same time.”
Take his version of 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'. “It’s already a great song,” Luhrmann said. “But when Elvis sings it, it becomes a prayer. That’s his gift, turning music into spiritual experience.”
From Village Matinees To A Homemade Jumpsuit
Luhrmann’s own connection to Elvis goes back to his childhood in rural Australia. “I grew up in a town of five houses. My dad ran a gas station, and for a while, the local cinema. On Sundays we screened Elvis matinees. Watching 'Easy Come, Easy Go,' I thought: that’s the coolest man alive. My grandmother even sewed me an Elvis jumpsuit for ballroom dancing. Elvis was always part of my life.”
Tears In The Theater
During the post-screening Q&A, a woman in the audience stood up. She had seen Elvis live three times, even attended his funeral. “I had my elbow on the stage,” she said, voice trembling. “He was right in front of me.” The room erupted in applause.
Luhrmann paused, visibly moved. “I’m not pretending to be Elvis,” he said softly. “But this is too beautiful, too moving. I’m truly humbled.”
EPiC, Not A Documentary
Luhrmann ended with a tongue-in-cheek warning, “My company is now called ‘The Department of No Fun.’ So if I catch anyone dancing or applauding during the film, you’ll be fined, with free swag and tickets.” The audience roared.
But his core message was serious. "The 'EPiC - Elvis Presley in Concert' movie isn’t a documentary. It isn’t a concert film. It’s an experience. Elvis sings, Elvis tells his story. It’s his voice, his soul. For me, it’s poetry. And I wanted to share that.”
The Setlist: Elvis Classics Reborn
From the 59 hours of rediscovered footage, Luhrmann and Redmond curated a cross-section of Presley’s Vegas years and rehearsal rooms. Highlights include the legendary Vegas opener 'See See Rider' and 'Polk Salad Annie', 'Bridge Over Troubled Water', 'Suspicious Minds', 'In the Ghetto', 'Walk a Mile in My Shoes' and 'An American Trilogy'. Interwoven with these and other songs are rehearsal clips and candid audio where Elvis reflects on his life with startling honesty.
Hampton Roads: The Sequel Waiting In The Wings
One of the evening’s revelations came when Jonathan Redmond confirmed that the team had unearthed the entire Hampton Roads concert from 1972, in pristine 35mm quality.
“We had the whole of the Hampton Roads concert, in its entirety,” Redmond said. "A key highlight from that show - Elvis’ roaring take on 'Never Been to Spain' - made it into 'EPiC'.
But Luhrmann teased that the rest might not stay in the vault forever. “That’s a whole other show,” he told the audience. “Write to your local theater if you want to see that as a sequel.”
For fans, the message was clear: "the movie 'EPiC - Elvis Presley in Concert' may only be the beginning. Somewhere in those Kansas salt mines, Hampton Roads is waiting for its own spotlight."
Larger Than An Icon
For Luhrmann, Elvis’ arc mirrors the American story itself. “The energy of the fifties, the glamour of the sixties, the chaos of the seventies. Elvis never stopped searching. He was always seeking. And in that search, we rediscover him.” Nearly fifty years after his death, Elvis Presley still fills a theater with tears, laughter, and electricity. 'EPiC' doesn’t just resurrect the King, it lets him speak for himself.
Elvis returns with 'EPiC - Elvis Presley in Concert' for an encore at the TIFF has added another screening of EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert!
Baz Luhrman posted: The demand for tickets so far has been incredible, four sold out screenings! Because of you, the TIFF fans, TIFF has added an additional IMAX screening… EPiC will be back on September 14th at 2:15pm, bringing Elvis to the big screen once again!
And Elvis will finally come to Europe for an EPiC concert performance, as the 'EPiC' movie will be featured at the Zurich Film Festival from September 25 to October 4th. 2025. The movie will be shown on September 26th, October 1st and 4th.
Visit the
>>> ZFF site for more info.
