Tom Petty reunites his first band, Mudcrutch, for a new video edited by PJ Fabbrini.
Co-directed by Sean Penn and Sam Bayer, “I Forgive It All” stars Academy Award-winning actor Anthony Hopkins in a stunning, stark portrayal of “mercy, poverty, and aging.” Shot in just one day in Los Angeles, the video begins with archival footage triggering memories of a disruptive childhood for Hopkins. As the song begins, we transition to the present, where the celebrated British actor drives through the streets of a desolate and impoverished tent city, harkening back to his own early days.
Sean Penn discussed directing the project with Rolling Stone: “The song made such an impression on me,” Penn says. “So much of it was going to be about what the actor was holding in his head. I didn’t want to even articulate the story so much. I had a little backstory for myself, but I just wanted to shoot this in the way that wouldn’t bury the song.”
As a lifelong fan of Tom Petty, this cinematic music video was the ultimate exciting project for PJ. When Hank Corwin offered up the project to his former assistant, PJ was thrilled to take the reins and quickly started weaving together the handheld footage shot by Sean with the polished Alexa captures from Sam. The result is an emotional and captivating video that “keeps you in and makes you feel like you are a part of it,” PJ explains.
What’s up next for PJ, you ask? He’s busy editing Sam Bayer’s next project. Stay tuned.