Narrating his journey from a Dublin schoolboy to an international rock star, the film foregrounds his complicated relationship with his father.
“He’s on my mind because… he’s the reason I sing, and it’s a wound that will never close,” he commented.
Following his mother’s death at age 14, his father, in his grief, retreated. Bono’s efforts to gain his father’s attention ultimately led to the founding of the band.
In the same week his mother passed away, Bono met his future U2 bandmates – Adam Clayton, Dave Evans (The Edge), and Larry Mullen Jr.
Bono, whose real name is Paul Hewson, also began a relationship with Ali, whom he has been married to since 1982.
“The real star of this movie is my dad. I sort of prefer him to myself because humor has become so vital to me,” Bono said.
The film, “Bono: Stories of Surrender,” is based on the singer’s 2023 solo stage performance, which was adapted from his acclaimed memoir, “Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story.”
The stage show at the Beacon Theatre in New York combined hits with stories from the book about his childhood.
Bono mentioned that he picked up valuable filmmaking lessons from director Andrew Dominik and his daughter, Eve Hewson, an actress.
According to him, they taught him that a camera can tell when someone is lying.
“So if you want to share this story, be ready to drop your defenses and be vulnerable,” he observed.
“It feels like being exposed in front of everyone you know.”
The film is available for streaming on Apple TV+ starting May 30.
