Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery
Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery is a 2025 documentary film directed by Ally Pankiw. It follows the Lilith Fair, a music festival founded by Sarah McLachlan, which focused on female solo musicians and female-led bands. Dan Levy serves as a producer under his Not a Real Production company banner.
The documentary premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 2025, broadcast on CBC in Canada on September 17, 2025, and was released in the United States on September 21, 2025, by ABC News Studios and Hulu.
Premise
Explores the Lilith Fair, a musical festival founded by Sarah McLachlan, which focused on female solo musicians and female-led bands. McLachlan, Paula Cole, Sheryl Crow, Brandi Carlile, Erykah Badu, Bonnie Raitt, Jewel, Indigo Girls, Mya, Natalie Merchant, and Emmylou Harris are among those interviewed.Production
In July 2024, it was announced Ally Pankiw would direct a documentary revolving around Lilith Fair, with Dan Levy set to produce. Elevation Pictures and White Horse Pictures will produce the film, with Elevation set to distribute in Canada alongside CBC.The filmmakers drew from more than 600 hours of never-before-seen archival footage as well as new interviews and stories from fans, festival organizers, and participating artists.