Episode 10: Stephen Kijak
Today’s guest is Stephen Kijak, filmmaker and director of Stones In Exile, the beloved fan-favourite documentary that explores The Rolling Stones’ self-imposed exile in the south of France and the making of their classic 1972 album, ‘Exile On Main St.’
A director whose work sits at the intersection of music, journalism and cinema, Stephen first emerged with his 1996 feature Never Met Picasso before turning his focus to documentary filmmaking. His subsequent films - including Cinemania, an affectionate portrait of obsessive New York cinephiles, and Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, a study of one of pop music’s most enigmatic figures - established him as a filmmaker drawn to stories shaped by obsession and cultural identity.
It was 30 Century Man that brought Stephen to the attention of The Rolling Stones and led to him being invited to direct Stones In Exile. Tasked with documenting one of the most mythologised chapters in rock history, Stephen approached the project as an immersive experience, drawing on exclusive photography and footage from the time - including that from Robert Frank’s infamous C*cksucker Blues film - to create new scenes that blur the line between present-day interviews and historical footage, and keeps the audience absorbed in that sweaty ’70s basement vibe.
In this episode, Stephen reflects on his first meetings with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, earning their trust, and being granted access to the Stones’ vast private archives. He discusses speaking with everyone connected to the Exile story, the challenge of shaping decades of memory into a single film, and the realities of working under the constraints of a TV-feature runtime. He recalls almost missing the film’s premiere at Cannes with Mick Jagger, and what it was like watching that period of the band’s history return to the public consciousness.
Stephen also considers how the experience of making Stones In Exile went on to inform his later films, including projects on Jaco Pastorius, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Backstreet Boys and Rock Hudson, shaping his approach to access, archive and storytelling around cultural icons.
Follow Stephen on Instagram.
Lip Service is produced and presented by Simon Harper.
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