Depeche Mode announces concert film ‘M’ live in Mexico 2023 – More details available now

(Updated with first visuals and extra details) – Depeche Mode is set to release a new feature-length concert film, “Depeche Mode: M”, directed by Mexican filmmaker Fernando Frias. Known for “I’m No Longer Here” and “I Don’t Expect Anyone to Believe Me”, Frias blends live performance with cultural storytelling. As such it won’t just be another tour documentary but rather a layered, visual journey exploring mortality, grief, and musical transcendence.

The film captures Depeche Mode’s three sold-out performances at Mexico City’s Foro Sol Stadium on September 21, 23, and 25, 2023, during their ‘Memento Mori’ world tour, which drew an estimated 200,000 fans in Mexico City alone. It is set for a theatrical release in late 2025, with a world premiere scheduled at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on June 5, 2025. The Tribeca premiere will include a post-screening conversation with Depeche Mode and Frías.

95 minutes long full length feature film

More than just a venue, Mexico City becomes a character in the film. The region’s cultural intimacy with death – expressed in Día de los Muertos traditions and national art – resonates deeply with the album’s title and theme (Memento Mori, Latin for “remember that you must die”) after the passing of founding member Andy Fletcher in 2022.

Related newsDepeche Mode film 'M' review - Under the Spell of the Letter M

While the film is directed by Fernando Frías, the cinematography was in the hands of Damián García, with editing by Yibrán Asuad, Melisa Enríquez San Vincente, and Liora Spilk. Producers include Stacy Perskie Kaniss, Nina Soriano, and Saul Levitz. The project is a collaboration between the band’s label and film producers – and is produced by Columbia Records, Anonymous Content, and Mexico’s Redrum, with Sony Music Vision handling distribution. This U.S./Mexico co-production has a final runtime of ~95 minutes.

“Depeche Mode: M” is said to “weave together high-energy stage moments, fan interactions, archival footage, and symbolic interstitials to build an immersive atmosphere.” And also: “It doesn’t just document performances; it aims to create an emotional narrative. Expect a story about transformation, legacy, and the silent dialogue between artist and audience.”

The 2023 ‘Memento Mori’ tour saw Depeche Mode performing 112 shows, with over 3 million attendees.

Related newsDepeche Mode announce 'M' CD/DVD & CD/Blu-ray and 'Memento Mori: Mexico City' live album for December 5

Scheduled for theatrical release in late 2025, “Depeche Mode: M” will act as “a love letter to fans, a farewell to Fletcher, and a vivid testament to the band’s ability to remain emotionally relevant across decades”, so the press release reads.

Here’s a fan shot video from one of these concerts.

About Fernando Frias

Fernando Frías de la Parra, born on October 27, 1979, in Mexico City, is a Mexican director, screenwriter, and producer. He studied communications and photography in Mexico City before earning a Fulbright scholarship to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in directing and screenwriting at Columbia University.

Frías’s directorial debut, “Rezeta” (2012), tells the story of a foreign model living in Mexico City. The film received the Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature at the 2014 Slamdance Film Festival and earned Frías the Best Director award at the Milan International Film Festival.

In 2019, Frías wrote and directed “I’m No Longer Here” (Ya no estoy aquí), a drama exploring the life of Ulises, a teenager from Monterrey immersed in the “Kolombia” counterculture. The film delves into themes of identity, migration, and belonging. It won ten Ariel Awards from the Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. Additionally, it was Mexico’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards and was shortlisted in that category.

Frías has also directed episodes for television series such as HBO’s “Los Espookys” and “Our Flag Means Death”. In 2023, he completed filming “No voy a pedirle a nadie que me crea”.

Other Depeche Mode films

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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