Culture 4 min read By Mason Emerson
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Carnegie Hall Concert Film Lands at Janus Films and Criterion
Janus Films and Criterion have acquired North American rights to “Cameron Winter at Carnegie Hall,” a concert film shot and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson during the Geese frontman’s sold-out December 2025 solo performance.
Janus Films and Criterion have acquired North American rights to “Cameron Winter at Carnegie Hall,” a concert film shot and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The project captures a sold-out solo performance by the Geese frontman, filmed on 35mm and 16mm during his December 11, 2025 show at Carnegie Hall in his native New York City.
The acquisition pairs one of contemporary cinema’s most distinctive directors with a distributor known for preserving and celebrating important film work. Janus Films and Criterion have long been associated with restoring and releasing classic and art-house cinema, making the partnership a notable fit for a concert film shot on traditional celluloid rather than digital video.
Winter, best known as the lead singer of the Brooklyn-based rock band Geese, performed alone at the historic venue during a period of heightened attention on his solo work. The concert took place as Geese was promoting its “Getting Killed” world tour, and the Carnegie Hall date was announced as a one-off solo event separate from the band’s touring schedule.
Anderson, an eight-time Academy Award nominee for films including “There Will Be Blood,” “Phantom Thread,” and “Licorice Pizza,” has occasionally worked in documentary and music filmmaking. His previous nonfiction projects include music videos and a 2015 documentary about the making of a Thom Yorke album. Shooting a concert on 35mm and 16mm film aligns with Anderson’s known preference for analog production methods and his history of collaborating with musicians.
Details about the film’s theatrical release and home-video plans have not yet been announced. The acquisition suggests the project will receive a curated rollout, likely including theatrical screenings followed by a Criterion Collection edition, which typically features restored transfers and supplementary material.
Winter’s solo work has drawn attention for its theatrical, piano-led compositions that differ markedly from the guitar-driven sound of Geese. His debut solo album, released in 2024, received positive reviews and positioned him as a distinctive voice in the current wave of New York rock musicians. The Carnegie Hall performance was widely noted as a milestone in his solo career, with the venue’s storied history lending weight to the occasion.
The concert film joins a growing slate of music documentaries and performance films being released theatrically in recent years. The format has seen renewed interest from both filmmakers and distributors, with major artists and directors collaborating on projects that capture live performances in cinematic form. Anderson’s involvement brings a level of directorial attention that elevates the project beyond a standard concert recording.
Janus Films, founded in the 1950s, has distributed international and classic cinema for decades, while the Criterion Collection, launched in 1984, has become the standard for high-quality home video releases of important films. The two companies operate as sister entities and frequently acquire rights together for films they plan to release both theatrically and on home video.
No release date has been set for “Cameron Winter at Carnegie Hall.” The film is expected to premiere in select theaters before becoming available through Criterion’s distribution channels.
