The highly anticipated documentary “Vitalik: An Ethereum Story” will premiere in September. This film offers an in-depth look into the life of Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of the Ethereum (ETH) blockchain, and the transformative journey of his groundbreaking project.
The documentary is part of the “Ethereum Stories” initiative, which includes a series of short films, also set to release in September 2024.
Vitalik Buterin and Ethereum’s Journey Through the Lens
After more than three years in the making, the documentary promises to reveal the human side of the Ethereum phenomenon. According to IMDB, the directors, known for their previous work on “The Meme Economy,” began filming in 2021 when they first met Buterin. The project gained significant support through the crowdfunding platform Mirror.xyz, raising 1,035.96 ETH, equivalent to $2.9 million.
Screenshot of the Ethereum Documentary. Source: X/EthereumFilm
“Vitalik: An Ethereum Story” documents technological advancements and emphasizes the people and emotions driving the Ethereum movement. The filmmakers aimed to create a narrative accessible to community members, crypto enthusiasts, and skeptics alike.
The film directors Zach Ingrassi and Chris Temple captured key moments in the crypto industry. These events include the NFT boom, geopolitical turmoil, and the massive software upgrade known as Ethereum 2.0.
“During the rollercoaster of 2021-2023, the Ethereum community experienced some serious growing pains. But no matter the chaos and challenges, Vitalik remained an anchor, steadfast in his vision for an open internet accessible to all,” the team wrote in their blog.
The documentary’s official trailer will debut on July 23 on the Zora network. This trailer also allows viewers to support the film’s distribution through minting tokens. An on-chain ticketing event will start on July 26, allowing buyers to watch the documentary for 30 days on ethereumfilm.xyz.
The world premiere is scheduled for September 18, with a broader theatrical release planned for the fall of 2024. The documentary will also be available on traditional streaming platforms in the winter of 2024/2025. This release will be accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign to reach a diverse audience and expand the film’s impact beyond the crypto community.
This documentary follows a growing trend of films exploring the crypto industry. Recently, Bloomberg journalists produced a documentary on Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the defunct crypto exchange FTX.
Additionally, in 2022, Coinbase released a film about its success story, available on platforms like iTunes, YouTube, Google Play, and Vimeo. These films highlight the increasing interest in and significance of the crypto industry in mainstream media.