Tom Morello on Co-Directing ‘The Ballad of Judas Priest’: ‘What a Time to Be Alive Where You Can Both Make a Documentary About Your Favorite Band and Fight Fascism’

At the Berlin International Film Festival, guitarist and activist Tom Morello launched his directorial debut, "The Ballad of Judas Priest," by declaring that all art is inherently political. Co-directed with filmmaker Sam Dunn, the documentary explores the legacy of the heavy metal icons. Morello, best known as the Rage Against the Machine guitarist whose work fuses incendiary riffs with radical politics, argued that Judas Priest's career itself presents a powerful political statement. He received applause after telling the audience, "What a time to be alive, where you can both make a documentary about one of your favorite bands and fight fascism at the same time." He specifically pointed to the band's diverse fanbase, noting that their Los Angeles shows are attended by a majority Latino crowd with many gay couples, presenting a direct challenge to the genre's traditionally macho image.

The film traces the band's journey from their roots in England's industrial West Midlands—an area historically known as the Black Country for its 19th-century factories and foundries—to their 2022 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It provides an in-depth look at frontman Rob Halford's experience as a gay man in metal, a genre not historically known for its inclusivity, and re-examines the band's infamous 1990 trial. That case, part of the wider "Satanic Panic" moral hysteria of the 1980s and 90s, saw Judas Priest accused of embedding subliminal messages in their music. Halford, who attended the event, connected global injustice directly to artistic fuel, stating that outrage has consistently driven his songwriting. He cited tracks from the band's latest album, widely seen as critiques of former U.S. President Donald Trump, and expressed growing fury over the global rollback of LGBTQ+ rights.

Morello's unambiguous position stood in stark contrast to a wider, simmering debate over political expression that has characterized this year's Berlinale. The festival has a long history of political engagement, yet this edition has faced scrutiny for what some perceive as a muted stance. This tension was highlighted when the jury president, revered German director Wim Wenders—whose poetic films like "Paris, Texas" and "Wings of Desire" explore themes of human connection—suggested artists should "stay out of politics." Other high-profile attendees avoided commentary on current global conflicts, leading to significant criticism online. In response, festival director Tricia Tuttle later emphasized that artists possess the freedom to speak—or remain silent—as they wish, asserting that no creator should be forced to address every crisis.

For Morello, this film is a continuation of decades of activism woven into his musical career. His path has consistently merged protest with performance, from his role in the politically charged supergroup Audioslave to his folk-protest solo work as The Nightwatchman. His recent focus includes vocal criticism of the war in Gaza; he signed a 2021 pledge supporting a cultural boycott of Israel and has repeatedly called for a ceasefire. His domestic activism remains equally vigorous, exemplified by last month's "Defend Minnesota" benefit concert in Minneapolis, which he helped organize to protest ICE raids and which featured a surprise performance by Bruce Springsteen. Through the story of Judas Priest—a tale of working-class perseverance and confronting prejudice—Morello finds the ideal framework to assert that artistic expression and political resistance are not merely aligned, but essentially inseparable.