CONTROL, the critically acclaimed movie about Ian Curtis, the late frontman of seminal English band Joy Division, will be shown from 10 – 11 May at The Substation Theatre. Five electric guitars, custom-designed based on inspiration from the band and its music, will be publicly auctioned during the same period.

Hailed by The Guardian as "the best film of the year: a tender, bleakly funny and superbly acted biopic of Curtis" , Control is d irected by veteran music video director and photographer Anton Corbijn.

The film focuses on the tumultuous last years of Curtis's life before he committed suicide in 1980, shortly before the band was to depart for its first American tour, at the age of 23. The Singapore screening is being organised by Lumina Live! Pte Ltd, and sponsored by Blackjack (Club 21).

Joy Division, the Manchester band whose gloomy music captured the essence of post-industrial decay at the end of the '70s, developed a sound and style that helped pioneer the post-punk movement of the late 1970s. Despite their short career and cult status, Joy Division exerted a wide-reaching influence.

Joy Division has influenced bands ranging from contemporaries U2 and The Cure to post-punk revival artists such as Interpol and Bloc Party. U2 frontman, Bono, stated that his group "worshipped" Joy Division. Artists like Moby and Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist, John Frusciante, have described their appreciation for Joy Division's music and the influence it has had on their own material.

In 2005, Joy Division were inducted along with New Order into the UK Music Hall of Fame.

Control, the black-and-white biopic, stars BAFTA (Orange British Academy Film Awards) nominee Sam Riley as Ian Curtis, and Samantha Morton as his wife Deborah Curtis.

The film premiered at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim and won the Best British Independent Film and other key awards at the British Independent Film Awards. The screenplay is based on the book Touching From a Distance by Curtis' wife, Deborah, who was the co-producer of the film.

Control details the life of Ian Curtis as a young and troubled extremely talented musician, who forged a new kind of music out of the British punk rock scene of 1970s with his band Joy Division, which he headed from 1977 to 1980. He was married at 19, and quickly became the brightest star of the post-punk scene at age 22.

The film also deals with his rocky marriage, extramarital affairs, as well as his increasingly frequent seizures; which were thought to contribute to the circumstances leading to his suicide, at the young age of 23, on the eve of Joy Division's first U.S. tour.

To pay tribute to one of the most influential bands from the UK and commemorate the premiere of Control in Singapore, the cinematic experience will be enhanced through additional elements organized by Lumina Live!: an exhibition of the film and of Joy Division, as well as a Joy Division design-inspired Gibson guitar charity auction.

“Joy Division was a band ahead of its time, and its influence still reverberates in much of today’s indie music,” said Mr. David See, Managing Director of Lumina Live! “Our collective love for the band and its music drew us to pursue this opportunity to bring the film to Singapore to share with other fans.”

Blackjack, a Club 21 boutique, is the presenting sponsor of this film premiere. “Blackjack supports and celebrates cutting-edge fashion as well as art, design, music, architecture, technology and film. We are therefore proud to present Control as part of our drive to inspire, engage and challenge the new generation of creative, astute minds,” said a Blackjack spokesperson.

Contents of the exhibition include an informative look at the movie, as well as the band. Exclusive and rare footages of Joy Division’s past interviews and performances will be shown as part of the entire experience. Visitors will also enjoy the Gibson Sound Booth at the exhibition, where they will be allowed first hand experience to try an amped-up Gibson guitar.

Five Les Paul Studio electric guitars, 4 donated by Gibson Guitar and 1 by Lumina Live!, will be custom-designed by these five established local creative agencies: Asylum, Ffurious, H55, Phunk Studios, and Werk.

Each agency will customise the guitar based on inspiration from the band and its music. The guitars will be available for public auction online on Ebay from May 1 st – May 11 th at http://www.ebay.com.sg/controland showcased at the Substation from 9 – 11 May.

All proceeds will be donated to the appointed charity, Samaritans of Singapore (SOS), for the event. Log on to www.luminalive.sg for more bidding information.

Control will be shown from 10 – 11 May at The Substation Theatre. Tickets are available for sale at S$14 each from www.gatecrash.com.sg/events/CONTROL.php. Call 6272 7528for more details.