Stewart Copeland documentary set for Raindance with unseen footage

Stewart Copeland is stepping back into the spotlight, but this time it is not just about the music. A new documentary promises a rare, close-up look at the mind behind the drum kit, blending performance, memory and reflection.

With unseen footage, deeply personal revelations and a fresh perspective on a legendary career, COPELAND is shaping up to be more than a standard music film. It is a story told in his own words, and it does not hold back.

Who is Stewart Copeland?

Stewart Copeland is best known as the drummer for The Police, one of the most successful bands of all time, but his career stretches far beyond that. He is also a composer, conductor and multi-disciplinary musician, with work spanning opera, film, orchestral music and television.

His creative instincts run deep, as he explains through an unexpected childhood influence, noting: "It began in the Persian rugs that my mother bought in Isfahan (Iran) before I was born. Crawling around nose first as an infant on these Persian rugs. There's a pattern to it, but it's a wild, richly interwoven pattern.

"I was crawling around with my face in these patterns, and I realise now that these patterns here, this combination of chaos and form and order, that's exactly my music. This is what's going on in my head."

More recently, his 2025 release ‘Wild Concerto’ drew global acclaim for blending wild animal field recordings with a live orchestra, underlining just how far his sound reaches beyond rock.

In an interview with Simon Mayo on Greatest Hits Radio in April 2025, Stewart spoke about his parents who were both spies, but had also influenced his musical tastes.

Stewart explained in the interview: "My dad raised me to be a jazz musician which is why I don't play jazz..."

He then added: "Meanwhile, my mother was listening to Stravinsky and Ravel... and that did go into my heart and after playing with The Police, I spent 20 years as a hired gun, flinty-eyed, musician for hire film composer, which is where I learnt all the chops. The humble film composer has the widest set of skills of any musician and he's not even an artist he's an employee, he's a craftsman serving the art of the director."

After Simon asked Stewart: "You never thought of joining the CIA like your dad?" Stewart replied: "No", before adding: "I didn’t know about that until I was already in college and he wrote a book. And there it was… on the liner notes."

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What’s the film about?

COPELAND is a feature-length documentary that charts Stewart’s life and career, filmed during a recent concert in Italy and told entirely in his own words. It takes viewers through his home, influences, family background, business instincts and friendships, offering a full-circle portrait of the artist.

The film also includes never-before-seen Super 8 footage shot by Stewart himself, capturing moments with artists including Bob Marley, UB40, The Specials and The Clash during the late 70s and 80s.

Watch the trailer here:

Among the most striking moments is his reflection on The Police’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2003: "I remembered all the great music that we had made and that I was very proud of it, and I was all excited to get back with my two buddies. And I was heartbroken."

Directed and produced by Pablo Aragüés, the documentary blends personal storytelling with rare archival material to reveal both the public icon and the private creative.

When is it out?

COPELAND will have its world premiere at the 34th Raindance Film Festival in London.

Screenings take place on Friday 19th June at 6:30pm and Saturday 20th June at 6:15pm.

How can I get tickets?

Tickets are available through the Raindance Film Festival. Screenings will be held at Vue Piccadilly, 19 Lower Regent Street, London SW1Y 4LR.