George Michael’s legendary 1988 Faith Tour is returning to the big screen in a newly released concert documentary, offering fans a rare opportunity to revisit one of the most important periods in the singer’s career.
Titled George Michael: The Faith Tour, the film features previously unseen footage from the singer’s performance at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris in 1988. Restored and remastered from original 35mm film, the recordings capture Michael at the height of his popularity, as he established himself as one of the biggest solo artists in the world.
The film opens with Finding Faith, an original short documentary directed by Mary McCartney. It brings together previously undiscovered audio from an interview with Michael, photographs and archival material from the period between 1986 and 1988, offering a closer look at the artist’s mindset during a pivotal stage of his life.
Directed by longtime collaborators David Austin and Andy Morahan, the 114-minute production uses footage captured by 14 cameras over two nights in Paris.
The film is being released internationally in cinemas from November 6, 2026. An accompanying 18-track live album, featuring previously unreleased performances from Michael’s career with Wham! and as a solo artist, is also being released on the same date.
Why the Faith Tour was such an important moment
To understand the significance of the documentary, it is worth revisiting what the Faith era represented for George Michael.
Born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou in north London on June 25, 1963, Michael first became famous as one half of Wham!, the pop duo he formed with school friend Andrew Ridgeley.
With hits including Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Club Tropicana and Last Christmas, Wham! became one of the defining pop acts of the 1980s.
However, Michael wanted to establish himself beyond the image of a young pop idol. His first solo album, Faith, released in 1987, marked a major turning point. He wrote, arranged and produced almost the entire record, demonstrating his abilities not only as a singer but also as a songwriter and musician.
The album blended pop, soul, R&B and rock, presenting a more mature and personal musical identity.
Its success was extraordinary. Faith sold more than 25 million copies worldwide, won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and produced four US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles: Faith, Father Figure, One More Try and Monkey.
Michael became the first British male solo artist to achieve four US number-one singles from a single album, a record that remains unmatched.
The tour that followed was his first major world tour as a solo artist. Running from February to October 1988, it comprised 109 concerts across 16 countries in North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.
It was a major statement of independence for an artist who had previously shared the spotlight with Ridgeley. The performances brought together material from Faith, songs from his Wham! years and covers of artists who had influenced him.
The newly released film captures that transition, documenting an artist who was no longer simply one of the most recognisable faces of 1980s pop, but an international superstar with a distinctive musical identity and creative vision.
George Michael’s Cypriot heritage
Beyond his extraordinary musical career, George Michael also had a strong connection to Cyprus through his family background.
Although born and raised in England, he was the son of a Greek Cypriot father, Kyriacos Panayiotou, who moved to London from Cyprus in the 1950s. His father later became known as Jack Panos and worked in the restaurant business. His mother, Lesley Angold, was English.
Michael was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, a name that reflected his paternal heritage. His family initially lived in north London, where a large Greek Cypriot community had established itself following migration from the island.
His father’s journey from Cyprus to Britain was part of the wider wave of Cypriot migration during the post-war period, when many people left the island in search of employment and better opportunities.
Michael’s background was therefore part of the story of the Cypriot diaspora in Britain. While he built his career in the international music industry, his Greek Cypriot surname and family origins remained an important part of his identity.
His story also reflects the experience of many children of Cypriot immigrants who grew up in Britain, balancing the culture of the country where they were born with the heritage of their families.
A legacy that continues almost a decade after his death
George Michael died on Christmas Day, December 25, 2016, at the age of 53. His death brought tributes from across the music industry and from millions of fans worldwide.
His influence, however, has continued well beyond his lifetime. His music remains popular across generations, while songs such as Careless Whisper, Freedom! ’90, Faith and Last Christmas have become enduring pop classics.
The new documentary offers more than a nostalgic return to the 1980s. It provides an opportunity to see Michael at a defining point in his career, when he was establishing his independence, taking creative control and demonstrating the musical talent that would make him one of the most successful British artists of his generation.
For audiences in Cyprus, the film also offers a reminder of the island’s connection to an international music icon whose roots can be traced back to a Greek Cypriot family.
Also read: MOTHERWITCH tops Cyprus box office over Halloween weekend
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel.
