Bono Presents ‘Stories of Surrender’ at Cannes to Warm Reception and Emotional Applause

On May 16, 2025, U2 frontman Bono attended the Cannes Film Festival for the world premiere of his Apple TV+ documentary, ‘Bono: Stories of Surrender.’ The film received a 7-minute standing ovation, during which Bono appeared visibly emotional. He opened his speech with a humorous pledge to speak fluent French next year and acknowledged the contributions of his bandmates and longtime manager Paul McGuinness, stating that they all contributed to the story the film tells.

Bono also praised director Andrew Dominik, who was not present at the screening, for capturing powerful performances. The documentary, based on Bono’s one-man show and his memoir ‘Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story,’ offers a personal look at his life as a son, father, activist, and musician. It features exclusive footage from his Beacon Theatre performances and includes renditions of many iconic U2 songs.

The film is produced by RadicalMedia and Plan B Entertainment, with producers including Jon Kamen, Dave Sirulnick, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner. Bono also served as executive producer alongside Jennifer Pitcher and Kelly McNamara. The documentary is scheduled to premiere on Apple TV+ on May 30.

This marks another milestone in Bono’s long relationship with Cannes, dating back to the 2007 premiere of U2’s ‘U2 3D.’