Upcoming Jimmy Barnes Documentary Breaks New Records

Hitting cinemas across the country this Thursday, Jimmy Barnes' upcoming documentary, Jimmy Barnes: Working Class Boy, is set to break some big records. 

Following its premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival last week, the documentary will be played across 220 screens nationally, making it the biggest Australian documentary release in history and the biggest documentary release since Michael Jackson’s This Is It in 2009.

Acclaimed director Mark Joffe (Jack Irish, House Of Hancock) tells Barnes' story, based on the Aussie legend's 2016 memoir, Working Class Boy, in a raw, confronting and at times, darkly funny way. 

"I trust Mark artistically and emotionally, we’ve been through a lot together and he’s a close, dear friend," the Cold Chisel frontman said.

"I knew he would do a good job and to be honest, he’s exceeded my expectations."

Meanwhile, the companion album, Working Class Boy — The Soundtracks, is out now and Barnes has confirmed he will give his royalties from the LP to help drought relief efforts. 

"Like so many Australians the media images of farmers in crisis have made my family and me want to do something to help with drought relief," Barnes explained.

"There are lots of benefit gigs and other things being discussed right now and we’ll do what we can for those in due course. In the meantime, as an initial gesture, we wanted to let you know that we’ll be donating all of this year’s royalties from the Working Class Boy soundtrack to drought relief charities."