CPH:DOX 2026 - Boy George & Culture Club

England, 1981. The Thatcher era, rainy days, and concrete in endless shades of gray. But at the same time, something completely different is sprouting: parties, colors - so many colors! - and the explosive New Romantics wave. Riding the crest of this wave are the four young men in Culture Club with teased hair, extravagant outfits, an instinctive sense for pop hooks, and a frontman like no other: Boy George. The film throws itself with warmth and high tempo into the creative chaos and the close - at times secretly romantic - relationships in the band.

The story unfolds through Boy George in particular. All the glitz, glamour, and rebellious flamboyance are accompanied by a raw honesty about hidden homosexuality, years of heroin abuse, and the conflicts and pain that followed Culture Club on their journey to challenge the norms of the time. ‘Do You Really Want To Hurt Me’ has rarely sounded more vulnerable and sincere.