New documentary sets out to tell the real story of Rolling Stones muse Anita Pallenberg

Model/actress/artist Anita Pallenberg is mostly known for her association with The Rolling Stones, but a new documentary, Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg, seeks to remind the world she was more than just the former girlfriend of Brian Jones and Keith Richards.

Pallenberg’s influence on the band was huge. The film’s co-director Alexis Bloom tells ABC Audio Pallenberg was a “great connector” for the group, introducing them to art, artists, books and more. 

“I mean, they literally wore her clothes,” co-director Svetlana Zill adds. “She brought this sort of cultural influence into the mix that they had not really previously been aware of before.”

The two directors got involved in the project after Marlon Richards, Pallenberg’s son with Keith, brought them his mother’s unpublished memoir, as well as hours of old film footage. He and his sister Angela appear in the film, which the directors acknowledge wasn’t easy for either of them.

“I think it would be hard for anyone to go back and talk about their childhood,” Zill says. “But they were very open and willing to, which was incredible, the kind of trust that they had to let us go there.” 

Keith, who Pallenberg was with from 1967 to 1979, is also interviewed for the film, and Bloom says she initially wondered if the rocker would be comfortable enough to open up his relationship with Anita. She noting she was “surprised how tenderly he spoke” about her.

“It was very moving because it was palpable the way that he spoke about her,” Zill adds. “I don’t think it was easy for him to go back and talk about her.” 

Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg opens in theaters and is available on demand on May 3.

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