Twenty years in the making
About the film
Filmmaker David Basso spent two decades filming bands, tours, backstage moments and the friendships that hold an independent music scene together. Built from years of footage and conversations, DIESEL explores the lives, work and choices behind the music.
At the heart of the film are Uncommonmenfrommars, followed from their early days through the band's rise and eventual end. Their story opens onto a wider portrait of a scene shaped by DIY culture, persistence and a love of playing live.
Twenty years of independent punk rock
Beyond the stage. Beyond the myths.
NOFX. Bad Religion. Against Me! Frank Turner. Face to Face. The Flatliners. These are just some of the artists and voices featured in DIESEL, a documentary exploring twenty years of independent punk rock.
Following French punk band Uncommonmenfrommars over two decades, filmmaker David Basso takes a deep dive into the realities of life as a musician — beyond the stage, beyond the records, and beyond the myths.
You signed to a major label. Does that mean you made it?
Is playing music your job? Can you actually make a living from it?
Do you sell records, or is it all just a passion project?
More than twenty bands, alongside record-label professionals, music journalists and sociologists, share their experiences and challenge the assumptions surrounding independent music.
The DIY spirit
DIESEL is a film about the Do It Yourself spirit: the determination to make music, tour, release records and reach an audience on your own terms.
Made independently and outside the traditional film industry, DIESEL continues to find its audience through word of mouth, independent screenings and events combining cinema and live music.
A DIY film about DIY culture.
Featuring artists from the punk scene
NOFX · Bad Religion · Against Me! · Frank Turner · Face to Face · The Flatliners · Teenage Bottlerocket · The Hard-Ons · Groovie Ghoulies · The Pookies · Burning Heads · Les Sheriff · Uncommonmenfrommars · Guerilla Poubelle · The Rebel Assholes · Flying Donuts · Minor Threat · and more.
The film also features music-industry professionals, journalists and sociologists offering perspectives on independent music.
Watch online
Watch the trailer
Get a first look at DIESEL: twenty years of punk rock, life on the road and the independent spirit behind the music.
DIESEL is a 90-minute documentary. The film is in French, with interviews in English for English-speaking bands; those interviews are subtitled in French.
Inside the documentary
A look inside DIESEL
Twenty years of punk rock. On stage, backstage and everywhere in between. From international bands and candid interviews to live performances and moments behind the scenes, these images offer a glimpse into the world of DIESEL.
In the streaming version, French-language sections are subtitled in English, and English-language sections are subtitled in French.
Official DIESEL shop
Take a piece of the road home
Discover the official DIESEL shop, with the documentary, merchandise and photographic prints celebrating the independent punk-rock scene.
Fine Art Prints
Iconic bands, live shows and authentic moments from the independent punk-rock scene.
Explore the prints →
DVD · REGION-FREE ENGLISH SUBTITLES
Twenty years of independent punk rock, life on the road and DIY culture.
Explore the DVD →
DIESEL Clothing
Wear the independent spirit with clothing inspired by the world of DIESEL.
Explore clothing →Keep it independent
Support independent filmmaking
Every film watched and every item from the shop helps independent work find its audience and keeps stories from the music underground alive.
