MUMBAI: American rock band The Grateful Dead had its first show as a band in 1965. To mark the band’s 50th anniversary, Oscar winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese has teamed up with Amir Bar-Lev to create a documentary film that tells the story of the band.

According to reports, Scorsese will be executive producer while Bar-Lev will direct the documentary with the help and support of the remaining surviving members of the band. The un-named documentary is expected to combine unseen footage of the group along with interviews of the members.

Scorsese said in a statement, "The Grateful Dead were more than just a band. They were their own planet, populated by millions of devoted fans. I am very happy that this picture is being made and proud to be involved."

Director Bar-Lev added, "It has been ten years since I first set out to make a film about the Grateful Dead and I am thrilled that it is finally happening."

A statement from the members of The Grateful Dead - Lesh, Weir, Hart and Kreutzmann read, "Millions of stories have been told about the Grateful Dead over the years. With our 50th anniversary coming up, we thought it might just be time to tell one ourselves and Amir is the perfect guy to help us do it."

"Needless to say, we are humbled to be collaborating with Martin Scorsese. From The Last Waltz to George Harrison: Living In The Material World, from Bob Dylan to the Rolling Stones, he has made some of the greatest music documentaries ever with some of our favourite artistes and we are honoured to have him involved. The 50th  will be another monumental milestone to celebrate with our fans and we cannot wait to share this film with them."