INXS video director Richard Lowenstein gets green light to direct Michael Hutchence doco

AUSSIE film director Richard Lowenstein has won backing for his documentary film about the life of his good mate Michael Hutchence.

AUSTRALIAN film director Richard Lowenstein has won backing from INXS’s record label for his Michael Hutchence documentary film.

A week after Sydney businessman Ron Creevey announced he had spent two years working on unreleased music and a rival doco on the rocker’s life, Universal Music Group officially announced they would proceed with a feature-length film.

Hutchence with his film director mate Richard Lowenstein backstage at a gig. Picture: Supplied.

This movie, yet to be titled, also has the official backing of INXS and manager Chris Murphy.

Lowenstein directed several of the band’s clips including What You Need and Never Tear Us Apart, as well as casting Hutchence in his feature film debut in the indie cult movie Dogs In Space.

INXS members have given the Lowenstein doco the thumbs-up.

The pair remained close friends until Hutchence’s death in a Double Bay hotel room in 1997.

“As one of Michael Hutchence’s closest friends and director of the majority of his and INXS’s multi award-winning music videos, concert films, and his only lead role in a dramatic feature film, I have been working on the definitive documentary film journey into the heart and soul of this complex, shy, poetic and exceptionally charismatic man for many years,” Lowenstein said in a statement today.

Lowenstein says his film will be the definitive doco about Hutchence and will take viewers into the late performer’s “heart and soul”. Picutre: Kevin Bull

Lowenstein said having the backing of Murphy and the band was crucial.

“I know that together we are going to tell this story like no one else can,” Lowenstein said in the announcement, obviously referencing the rival film and album being made by Creevey who claims to have access to the Hutchence estate and unreleased music from the recording sessions for his debut solo album.

INXS manager Chris Murphy and bandmates including Tim Farriss will cooperate with the documentary makers. Picture Craig Greenhill

Passion Pictures producer John Battsek also made a veiled reference to the other documentary currently in development.

“To know we have access to everyone and everything required to make such a film and the

full support of UMG just reaffirms to us all that we can tell this story in the truest and most authentic way possible. That’s why we make documentaries in the first place,” Battsek said.

INXS manager Murphy, who was one of the driving forces behind the ratings bonanza of the Never Tear Us Apart miniseries which screened on Seven in 2014, pointed out that Hutchence’s daughter Tiger Lily will be a beneficiary of the film’s proceeds.

The Hutchence documentary will be co-produced by passion Pictures who were behind the Oscar winning Search For Sugar Man which told the story of what had happened to American singer songwriter Rodriguez.

Originally published as INXS video director Richard Lowenstein gets green light to direct Michael Hutchence doco