THE MUSICIAN FROM ‘THE POLICE’ IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST DRUMMERS OF ALL TIME, AND THE FEATURE FILM ‘COPELAND’ BY ARAGONESE DIRECTOR PABLO ARAGÜÉS EXPLORES HIS CAREER
THE SNEAK PREVIEW OF THIS WORK WILL TAKE PLACE EXCLUSIVELY ON SATURDAY, JUNE 7 AT 10 PM AT THE TEATRO OLIMPIA
‘Copeland’
The famed drummer from the iconic group The Police, Stewart Copeland, will attend the 53rd Huesca International Film Festival for the sneak preview of the documentary Copeland. The film chronicling his journey will have its sneak premiere on June 7 at 10 PM at Teatro Olimpia in the capital of Huesca province. The festival reveals this as one of the highlights of its upcoming edition, which runs from June 6 to 14. The American musician and composer will engage closely with fans and filmgoers, not only presenting the documentary on the stage of the historic venue but also participating in the audience encounter of the “Vermú con” series (13:00h / Salón Azul – Casino). “It’s a real privilege to have with us a music legend, member of one of the most influential bands of all time, and someone deeply connected to cinema, having worked with prominent filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola, Oliver Stone, and Ken Loach,” says Estela Rasal, director of the Huesca International Film Festival (HIFF).
Copeland is a journey through the musical life of this extraordinary talent, covering his five decades in music, from The Police to his operas and film scores. A concert in Italy serves as the starting point for this work that goes beyond a simple self-portrait — it becomes a conversation with the artist himself. Stewart Copeland narrates his life in the first person, presenting events as he experienced them; as director Pablo Aragüés describes it, using a musical analogy: “It’s a drum solo where the protagonist tells his own story.”
ONE OF THE GREATEST DRUMMERS OF ALL TIME
‘Copeland’ se verá el 7 de junio en el 53HIFF
Stewart Copeland was born in Alexandria, Virginia, but his family soon moved to Beirut, Lebanon, where his father worked as a CIA station chief. It was there that he discovered his talent and passion for drumming. He landed his first real drumming gig as a teenager. A sudden move to England opened up new opportunities for him, and in 1974–1975, he joined the band Curved Air as their drummer, making his recording debut with the successful albums Midnight Wire and Airborne. Through Curved Air, he also met lead singer Sonja Kristina, who would later become his wife and mother of three of his children.
Driven by curiosity and creative energy, Stewart formed a punk-influenced trio called The Police, a provocative name at the time, reflecting the clashes between punks and law enforcement. The trio included guitarist Andy Summers, and Stewart discovered the final member after seeing the local band Last Exit perform in Newcastle — their bassist and vocalist, Sting, caught his attention.
Despite ups and downs, The Police became one of the most successful trios of the 1980s, with hits like Every Breath You Take, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Message in a Bottle, and Roxanne. After their final concert in Australia in March 1984, Stewart shifted away from rock and composed the acclaimed score for Rumble Fish by Francis Ford Coppola, earning a Golden Globe nomination. Soon after, Oliver Stone commissioned him to compose scores for Wall Street and Talk Radio.
In 1988, Stewart began performing with legendary bassist Stanley Clarke. Alongside singer-songwriter Deborah Holland, they formed Animal Logic and released their first album in 1989, followed by a tour that brought Stewart back to large stages.
His compositions extended beyond film scores. He wrote several ballets, and the Cleveland Opera commissioned him to compose an opera, Holy Blood And Crescent Moon. He also composed two short operas based on Edgar Allan Poe stories: A Casque of Amontillado and The Tell-Tale Heart. His ensemble Orchestralli, featuring Copeland himself, was nominated for a Grammy in 2006 for Birds of Prey.
Another major moment in his career was his collaboration with bassist Les Claypool and guitarist Trey Anastasio. The three delivered a memorable concert in 2000 and later recorded the album Oysterhead: The Grand Pecking Order (2001).
Stewart received the inaugural Outstanding Music in Film Visionary Award from the Hollywood Film Festival, and in 2003, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is currently preparing for the release of his album Wild Concerto (out April 18 on Platoon Records), a groundbreaking album fusing orchestral composition with real animal sounds. He is also set to embark on the second leg of his “Stewart Copeland: Have I Said Too Much? Tour 2025,” which will take him across the UK from September 24 to November 9, ending with a performance at The Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh.
His career includes over 60 million records sold worldwide and five Grammy Awards. His quest for exotic rhythms and musical traditions has taken him across the globe — from Easter Island to Mozambique, from the Australian outback to the remote jungles of the Congo. He is the father of seven children and currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Fiona Dent.
A FILM WITH ARAGONESE ROOTS
The film is produced by Marta Cabrera and Pablo Aragüés, who also directs, alongside executive producers Tarquin Gotch (Home Alone, Still Crazy), Shawn Rhodes, and John Alexander. Aragüés is a director, screenwriter, and editor from Zaragoza with a deep connection to short films — a key element of the Huesca festival. His filmography includes more than 20 titles that have won numerous awards at national and international festivals. Aragüés has extensive experience in advertising and music-related audiovisuals, having directed music videos for international bands like Saxon and Spanish groups like Siniestro Total and Neuman, as well as concerts for Violadores del Verso, Alice Cooper, and Slayer. He has also worked on series for HBO and Endemol.
He has served as a jury member for the Prix de la Jeunesse at the Cannes Film Festival, where he also presented Perceval, one of his most ambitious fiction shorts. Other notable short films include Las 5 muertes de Ibrahim Gonsález (an award-winning stop-motion work) and Huída a toca teja. His feature films include Vigilo el camino, Novatos (starring Emma Suárez and Nicolás Coronado), and Para entrar a vivir, which won three Simón Awards in 2023. He is currently completing his next fiction project, Ancestral, led by actresses Almudena Amor, Emma Suárez, Luisa Gavasa, Consuelo Trujillo, and Ana Fernández, which won the Fantastic Latido Award at the Marché du Film during the 2024 Cannes Festival.
Tickets for the Copeland premiere available HERE.
