Eau Claire-based musician Justin Vernon, pictured here performing at the Pabst Theater with Volcano Choir last September, has written a song exclusively for “Wish I Was Here,” the new film from “Garden State” director Zach Braff. Credit: CJ Foeckler/The Pabst Theater

SHARE

By

Justin Vernon has made it clear that he isn't sure when, or even if, he would resurrect his Grammy-winning band Bon Iver.

But over the weekend came news that the Eau Claire-based Bon Iver was back — except it didn't come from Vernon, but from Zach Braff.

The former "Scrubs" star and director of the 2004 indie darling "Garden State" was at Sundance debuting his new Kickstarter-funded feature film "Wish I Was Here," about a struggling actor (Braff) coming to terms with his dying father (Mandy Patinkin) while homeschooling his two kids.

And since the "Garden State" soundtrack was such a big hit, the audience Q&A naturally turned to the music in the new film, which Braff said included a new song by Bon Iver.

"In this case, it was unique because we sent (music supervisor) Mary Ramos to Wisconsin to show the movie to Bon Iver, and they wrote a song pretty much on the spot," Braff told the audience at the premiere, according to Entertainment Weekly. "She sat there in Wisconsin while they wrote a song."

But Bon Iver fans shouldn't get too excited just yet.

Kyle Frenette, Vernon's manager, confirmed in an email that Vernon did write a song for the film. But the song actually is supposed to be credited to Justin Vernon.

"It's called 'Heavenly Father' and is just a one-off and has nothing to do with a new Bon Iver album or otherwise," Frenette wrote to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Over the weekend, Focus Features acquired "Wish I Was Here" for theatrical distribution, according to Variety. No word yet on the release date or when the soundtrack, said to feature classic Bob Dylan and Paul Simon and new music from the Shins' James Mercer, as well as Vernon's song, will be released.

Facebook: fb.me/piet.levy.18

Twitter: twitter.com/pietlevy