Former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas and the legendary Cowboy Cerrone feature in a new episodic film by Canada’s Billy Talent.
Canadian rock band Billy Talent has produced an episodic film to go with their upcoming album, and a couple of familiar faces appear. UFC stars Cowboy Cerrone and Rose Namajunas both feature in the opening episode of Forgiveness, which has a distinctly dystopian, Mad Max feel about it.
The band’s first single in three years, Forgiveness I + II, provides the soundtrack to the film, the first episode of which you can watch above. Additional episodes are expected to be released as the band works toward releasing new music in 2020. The film was shot at Cerrone’s BMF Ranch in New Mexico, and the longtime UFC veteran provided everything from weaponry to horses.
Namajunas, meanwhile, appears front and center on cover art for the new single.
In a press release accompanying the video’s unveiling earlier this month, Billy Talent’s Ben Kowalewicz (vocals) said that “We are so proud of this film. The spark of this idea was inspired by our new music and developed with our amazingly talented friend Michael Maxxis. This will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before from Billy Talent. We are so fortunate to have Rose and Cowboy be part of this. “They are both captivating and riveting. We couldn’t be happier having them be part of the world we created.”
Director Maxxis added that “This project is the result of a progressively minded band wanting to do something different and with depth. Forgiveness is a story of apostasy and the unabated commitment to self-mastery. None of this would have been possible without Cowboy’s partnership. He did everything from making weapons, to casting, getting horses, the fight choreography, his own stunts, and providing accommodations for cast and crew at his ranch. It really was a priceless experience. I’ve been blessed to work with brilliant collaborators on this, which is a testament to the band’s vision. The journey of making this film is not so dissimilar from the story itself. Funny how life is sometimes.”
