“James Foley was an extraordinary, brave man. I think the film is a wonderful antidote to all the nonsense we hear in the world from ISIS, Donald Trump and the like. This is an extraordinary testament to real manhood and real courage. Genuine goodness.” This is how Sting opened his performance last night at the Sundance Ascap Music Café, in support of director Brian Oakes’ documentary Jim: The James Foley Story, in competition at Sundance this year.

Jim chronicles the life of journalist James Foley, kidnapped in Syria on Thanksgiving Day 2012 and brutally murdered by the so-called Islamic State two years later. The documentary features an original song by Sting and J. Ralph, “The Empty Chair”. Oakes, a childhood friend of Foley’s, is a first-time solo director. HBO has just grabbed the US rights to Jim: The James Foley Story.

Watch Sting performing “Every Breath You Take” at the Sundance Ascap Music Café.