The story of a gifted guitarist whose influence helped shape one of rock’s most iconic bands takes center stage in The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel, a new music documentary directed by Ben Feldman.
The film explores the early days of the Los Angeles funk-rock group, focusing on the life and legacy of Hillel Slovak, the band’s original guitarist, whose creative vision and musicianship played a pivotal role in the formation of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Through interviews, archival material, and reflections from those closest to the band, the documentary traces the friendships between Slovak, Anthony Kiedis, and Flea, whose shared passion for music and rebellious energy defined the band’s earliest years in the 1980s Los Angeles underground scene. The film also examines Slovak’s artistic contributions and the tragic circumstances surrounding his death from a heroin overdose in 1988.
The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel is slated to world premiere at the 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival, and stream globally on Netflix, starting on March 20, 2026.
The documentary offers “an in-depth look at the formative years of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the profound influence of original guitarist Hillel Slovak.” By focusing on Slovak’s role within the group, the documentary explores how his creativity and spirit helped define the band’s earliest era and left a lasting mark on its musical legacy.
Director Ben Feldman has described the film as a story about the enduring bonds of friendship that fueled the band’s rise. In discussing the project, Feldman said, “At its heart, this is a deeply relatable story—about the friendships that shape our identities and the lasting power of the bonds forged in adolescence. What’s less relatable, of course, is that here those friends went on to create one of the greatest rock bands in history.”
Watch the official trailer for The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel above.
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