A new Billy Joel documentary 1971: Billy Joel’s Lost Interview is set to premiere at the second annual LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival on September 25th at the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame in Stony Brook Village.

The movie is based on a 1971 radio interview for C.W. Post’s WCWP Station’s “That’s Interesting” show, hosted by Ed Mann. The interview took place just after the release of Joel’s debut solo album, Cold Spring Harbor.

The updated interview will feature an AI visual recreation of Joel, who was inducted to LIMEHOF twice, in 2006 and 2025.

“We are entering a new era in filmmaking, where emerging technologies like artificial intelligence are creating new possibilities for preserving and sharing stories from the past,” Tom Needham, Executive Director of the LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival, said. “1971: Billy Joel’s Lost Interview allows audiences to see a young Billy Joel before worldwide fame changed his life, and we hope people will experience it with curiosity and an open mind.”

Adam Ripp directed the 20-minute short film, which uses AI for visual recreation of Joel, his manager Irwin Mazur and the interviewer. As part of the premiere, there will be a Q&A panel with Ripp, Irwin Mazur and Ed Mann.

“It is a tremendous honor for 1971: Billy Joel’s Lost Interview to be selected as the opening night film of the LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival. I cannot imagine a more meaningful setting for the film’s world premiere than an institution dedicated to preserving and celebrating Long Island’s remarkable musical legacy,” said Ripp, who also produced the film.

Source: RTT Music News