"Bono: Stories of Surrender" - Bono

Film

Track Listing:

  • “City Of Blinding Lights”
  • “Vertigo”
  • “With or Without You”
  • “Out of Control”
  • “Stories for Boys”
  • “I Will Follow”
  • “Iris (Hold Me Close)”
  • “Sunday Bloody Sunday”
  • “Pride (In the Name of Love)”
  • “Where the Streets Have No Name”
  • “Desire”
  • “Beautiful Day”
  • “Torna a Surriento”

Non-Bono Performances / Instrumentals:

  • “Into the Heart”
  • “Gloria”
  • “October”
  • “Miss Sarajevo”

Background Information

While the world was locked down for Covid, Bono finished writing his autobiography, Surrender, and published it in November 2022. The book spawned a collection of U2 songs called Songs of Surrender in March 2023. Bono also took the book on “Stories of Surrender“ tour, performing material from the book, as well as U2 songs with The Jacknife Lee Ensemble. In the end the tour was filmed, and turned into a feature length film, Bono: Stories of Surrender.

The film made it’s theatrical debut at Cannes, at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès on May 16, 2025. There were a small number of advances showings for press, as well as an advance showing for fans in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, London, Dublin, Berlin and Rome. The full film is released on May 30, 2025 on Apple TV+. Both a 2D and a 3D version of the film will be available using the Apple Vision Pro system. (Apple tends to be very proprietary for the Apple Vision content, so do not expect it to be made available to other systems.)

The film was rated 18+, and although listed as a documentary, is more a document of Bono’s solo tour shows, although much of the footage was done at two special dates post-tour. The film runs 86 minutes in length.

The press release for the film shares, ““Bono: Stories of Surrender” is a vivid reimagining of Bono’s critically acclaimed one-man stage show, “Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief…” As he pulls back the curtain on a remarkable life and the family, friends and faith that have challenged and sustained him, he also reveals personal stories about his journey as a son, father, husband, activist and rock star. Along with never-before-seen, exclusive footage from the tour, the film features Bono performing many of the iconic U2 songs that have shaped his life and legacy.”

The film was announced on February 26, 2025, and the trailer debuted on April 30, 2025.

An EP of songs taken from the film, also titled “Stories of Surrender“ was released on May 30, 2025. In advance of the full release, the track that plays over the end credits of the film, “The Showman” was released on May 16, 2025. A new abridged version of Bono’s book was also released in May 2025 in Ireland, UK, Canada and USA. It features 27 chapters instead of the original 40, a new introduction by Bono, and is also now titled Stories of Surrender.

Liner Notes

Film Credits:
Cast: Bono, Jacknife Lee, Kate Ellis, Gemma Doherty
Director: Andrew Dominik
Producers: Jon Kamen, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Dave Sirulnick, Brad Pitt
Executive Producers: Bono, Kelly McNamara, Jennifer Pitcher, Lasse Järvi

Tour Credits:
Written by Bono and Bill Flanagan
Director: Willie Williams
Musical Director: Jacknife Lee
Drawings: Bono
Animation: Smasher Desmedt, Sam Brickman, Rosewood Creative
Audio Director: Joe O’Herlihy
Set Design: Ric Lipson and Willie Williams
Lighting Design: Willie Williams
Lighting Director: Alex Murphy (Tour) / Matt Beecher (Broadway)

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