An overview of their new documentary...
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‘Depeche Mode: M’ is a film directed by Fernando Frias (‘I’m No Longer Here’, ‘I Don’t Expect Anyone To Believe Me’), documenting the three nights that Depeche Mode performed at the expansive Foro Sol Stadium in Frias’s hometown of Mexico City during the 2023 tour promoting the ‘Memento Mori’ album.
More than just a conventional concert film, Frias’s documentary is a monumental, intricate work of stunning artistic expression, employing experimental camera techniques more suited to an art installation than a movie. The film's central idea is that Depeche Mode’s music, particularly in light of the premature death of core member Andy Fletcher, is deeply intertwined with the Mexican cultural view of death and mortality. Similar to earlier films that showcase the global connection fans have with Depeche Mode’s music, we hear from their admirers, who explain how these songs resonate with their personal experiences (including themes of life and death) – yet this film surpasses productions like ‘101 (The Mexico City Edit).’
Between visuals of Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Peter Gordeno, and Christian Eigner at their most dynamic, Frias weaves in narratives and poetry that explore the profound links to death found in Mexican culture and beliefs. Scenes of Gahan performing energetically are blended with introspective segments featuring natural landscapes, thoughtful commentary on obsolete technologies, and recurring monochrome images of sorrowful angels in deserted warehouses.
What results is a touching, frequently harrowing reflection on our fundamental impermanence and finite existence, all set to the sounds of Depeche Mode, allowing us to grasp the core message of ‘Memento Mori’ (‘Remember, we all must die’) and its impactful lyrics much more clearly. Yet, through the vibrant energy and intensity of the band’s unforgettable performances of songs like ‘Wagging Tongue’, ‘Enjoy The Silence’, and ‘Never Let Me Down Again’, we are also encouraged to cherish life a little more.
The limited showings of ‘Depeche Mode: M’ align with the rollout of ‘Memento Mori: Mexico City’, a 24-track live album from the Mexico shows that includes four additional tracks from the studio sessions. Through both the film and the continuous live performance recording, we can witness and hear the visceral bond between Depeche Mode’s dark, rich music and the Mexican spirit, capturing a band at their most potent and vibrant.
9/10
Words: Mat Smith
‘Depeche Mode: M’ will have a limited theatrical release starting October 28th, 2025. ‘Memento Mori: Mexico City’ is set for release on December 5th, 2025, along with the DVD/Blu-Ray version of ‘Depeche Mode: M.’
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‘Depeche Mode: M’ is a movie directed by Fernando Frias (‘I’m No Longer Here’, ‘I Don’t Expect Anyone To Believe Me’), which explores the three nights that Depeche Mode