Video: GODSPELL Documentary Sets World Premiere at TIFF; Watch a New Clip

Last year, BroadwayWorld reported that Judd Apatow would be producing a new documentary about the original Toronto production of Godspell from director Nick Davis. Now the film has officially set its world premiere. 

You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution... will screen as part of the 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, running September 4–14, 2025. Tickets go on sale to TIFF Members by level beginning on Friday, August 15. For more details, visit here. Watch a newly released clip from the documentary abvove, featuring Martin Short, Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy, Stephen Schwartz, and more. 

Produced by Apatow, the documentary describes how the local production launched the careers of Eugene Levy, Martin Short, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Paul Shaffer, Andrea Martin, and Dave Thomas. The film features interviews with all surviving cast members, as well as never-before-seen footage and personal archives. It is produced and directed by Davis, who co-wrote it with Jane Mendelsohn. A companion book will also be released in early 2026 by Broad Book Press.

Also included in the documentary will be audio recordings that Short made of the musical and intimate parties where the cast drank, partied, and perhaps fell in love during intimate gatherings. It delves into the creative scene in Toronto during the musical's run, which included friends of the cast like Catherine O'Hara, Dan Aykroyd, and John Candy.

The 1972 production was only supposed to run for a couple of weeks, but extended to over a year and a half due to popularity. Garber landed the role of Jesus in the movie musical adaptation, which brought him to New York for the first time.

Stephen Schwartz's much-loved musical celebrates the life and teachings of Jesus and features the Gospel according to St. Matthew: 1970s style. As Jesus taught with parables and storytelling, Godspell utilizes clowning, pantomime, charades, acrobatics, and vaudeville to tell the story of Christ's passion. Familiar songs include "Day by Day," "Turn Back, O Man" and "Bless the Lord."