Everybody Digs Bill Evans

New York, 1961. Celebrated jazz pianist Bill Evans enters the stage of the Village Vanguard with his revolutionary trio, including his artistic soul mate, bassist Scott LaFaro. The two live albums that emerged from these performances changed the landscape of jazz music forever. But fate strikes mercilessly. A tragic traffic accident abruptly ends LaFaro's life and Evans' world collapses. Paralyzed by grief, addiction and self-doubt, he searches for the courage to pick up life – and music – again. Director Grant Gee sketches an intimate portrait of a master musician who stands on the precipice, resulting in an atmospheric drama about mourning, self-destruction and the healing power of music.

Everybody Digs Bill Evans premiered at this year's 76th Berlinale, where director Grant Gee received the Silver Bear for Best Director. Lead actor Anders Danielsen Lie could be seen at NoFF last year in the Oscar-winning Sentimental Value (2025) and stars this year in Low Expectations (2026) and the opening film Brave New Love (2026). The screening at the Noordelijk Film Festival is the Frisian premiere, and Everybody Digs Bill Evans was our tip during the Zeeland festival Film by the Sea. There, the film received the Film & Literature Award, because of 'its strong visual language, the fantastic casting and the very distinct signature of director Grant Gee'.