Rock Doc ‘Boom: A Film About The Sonics’ Lands At The Forge, Makes AFM Debut

EXCLUSIVE: A documentary about legendary Pacific Northwest band The Sonics, who influenced the likes of Nirvana, Mudhoney and The White Stripes, has been picked up by nascent distributor The Forge.

Jordan Albertsen’s Boom: A Film About the Sonics will get a limited theatrical release across North America later this year after local premieres in Seattle and LA and The Forge will represent worldwide sales and start looking for international deals at AFM next week.

The Forge was set up by producer and Vashon Island Film Festival director Mark Mathias Sayre and recently released Brett Smith’s directorial debut and Civil War-epic Freedom’s Path.

The Sonics were formed in 1960 in Tacoma and had a large roster of members, who have reunited regularly over the years. The band also influenced the likes of The Stooges and The Cramps. Kurt Cobain once said that The Sonics’ drum sound was the most “amazing” he’d ever heard.

The documentary, which is directed by Albertsen, from neighboring Whidbey Island, tells the bands story. It features interviews with bands such as Pearl Jam, Heart, Soundgarden and Mudhoney.

It is exec produced by Dawn Meyers, Elson Schilling, Jeffrey Stone and Barb Stone with Albertsen, Brian Scott Robinson and Buck Ormsy as producers.

“As a distributor based off the shores of Tacoma, from which the Sonics were born, we couldn’t be more excited to champion Boom,” said Sayre. “Jordan has put painstaking effort into telling the remarkable story of one of America’s most legendary bands. The film lends itself to an engaged, participatory audience experience that we’re looking to highlight and enhance every step of the way, from theatrical to VOD to streaming.”

“Film distribution can be a tricky landscape to navigate, and after spending fifteen years of my life making Boom, I knew I needed to find a partner that carried the same passion I did,” added Albertsen. “After meeting Mark and learning about The Forge, I knew this model was a perfect fit. We’ve got some incredible things planned and I couldn’t be more excited to be releasing the film on the 60th anniversary of the formation of the band. 2024 will surely be the year of The Sonics. Boom.”