ARTIFACT

"It started as a film about the making of an album, and it became a film about the most brutal and challenging conflict of our lives." – Jared Leto

Popular rockers Thirty Seconds To Mars, led by Jared Leto (Fight Club, Requiem For a Dream), were platinum-sellers in 2008, but hadn't seen a cent of royalties, so they tried to exit their contract. Their label sued them for $30 million. But what began as an object lesson from EMI resulted in a David-and-Goliath struggle between a floundering industry and its indentured servants.

While the band record their breakthrough third album, This is War, the mysterious Bartholomew Cubbins (a dead ringer for Leto) explodes the myth of the millionaire rock star, cutting between the lawyer's office and the studio floor. Fellow music-makers including Linkin Park, OK Go and System Of A Down, and former EMI execs all spill the beans, providing a detailed, often Spinal Tap-esque insight into the harsh realities of modern music making.

Ultimately, Artifact speaks to all music lovers and is a funny, ridiculous reminder that while music always changes, business will always be business.

People's Choice Documentary Award winner at the Toronto International Film Festival.

"A compelling guide through the current state of the music industry, in all its wretched decay." – The Playlist

D Bartholomew Cubbins P Jared Leto, Emma Ludbrook WS Emma Ludbrook TD HD Cam/2012