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A documentary exploring the life and legendary career of Ronnie James Dio is set to premiere next month at the South by Southwest Film Festival.
Dio: Dreamers Never Die will get its first public screenings at the film festival in Austin, Texas, on March 17 and March 18.
The film is the first authorized documentary about Dio. According to its description, the movie "delves deep into his incredible rise from '50s doo-wop crooner to his early classic rock days in Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, to replacing the iconic lead singer Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath, to finally cement his legend with [his solo band] Dio. Ronnie's biography is completely unique to the tired sex, drugs and rock and roll clichés. The film is about perseverance, dreams and the power to believe in yourself."
Dio's widow and longtime manager, Wendy Dio, said the film was "very emotional" and moved her to tears when she saw the first cut. She complimented the documentary's contributors for their heartfelt recollections of Ronnie.
"Rob Halford is great in it, talking about stories. Lita Ford. Jack Black. Eddie Trunk and Mick Wall [who helped finish Dio's autobiography after he passed] both kind of narrated it and everything," Wendy said in one interview. "I'm very pleased with it."
For more details on SXSW films and events, go here.