Swedish heavy metal band, Sabaton, recently concluded their 'History Rocks' museum charity project, following the premiere of animated film, 'The War to End All Wars - The Movie', in museums across the world in November.
The movie, developed in partnership with Yarnhub Animation Studios, weaves World War 1 stories together with songs from Sabaton’s most recent studio album, 'The War to End All Wars'.
Bodmin Keep: Cornwall’s Army Museum was one of 140 museums across 30 countries to premiere the movie — and the only museum in Cornwall to participate in this global event — presenting multiple screenings of the film in the museum’s cinema room to fans from across the county between November 4th-19th, 2023.
Helen Bishop-Stephens, director of Bodmin Keep: Cornwall’s Army Museum, said: "Screening the Sabaton movie gave our visitor numbers a huge boost. Each screening we held was sold out, and we’re thrilled to have been able to welcome people who would not usually visit museums.”
Pär Sundström, bassist and manager of Sabaton, added: "I am incredibly happy to see the overwhelming turnout for the screenings of 'The War to End All Wars - The Movie'. It's heartening to witness the dedication of fans who travelled significant distances to attend these events. The response and the experience have been amazing, and we're grateful for the opportunity to share this historical journey with our fans.
"This project honestly went better than we could have even imagined. The feedback we received both during and after the event was incredible, and the fact that we’ve actually made a difference to the museums with the 'History Rocks' project means everything to us. Mission accomplished."
The 'History Rocks' charity initiative was developed to raise awareness of the importance of history and encourage more people to visit and support their local museums. Sabaton donated the film for this project to boost the visibility of museums around the world and introduce them to a new, previously untapped audience made up of Sabaton’s huge fanbase, which comprises millions of metalheads and history buffs.
Currently, the band is exploring ways to present the film to a wider audience, with plans yet to be finalised.