Eddie Vedder and his wife Jill share why they’ve become so heavily involved in the Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) community in an exclusive clip from Matter of Time, a new documentary about the Pearl Jam singer and his efforts to raise money and awareness for those suffering from the rare genetic disease.
In the clip, Jill Vedder reveals that she first learned about EB when the child of one of their friends was diagnosed with the disease. “We were just like, ‘This is the most crazy, brutal, intense thing I’ve ever seen,’ and what can we do?” she says.
“‘Okay, maybe we can talk about this, and just start small and see what happens.’ I see people on the street or when I go to shows when they’re playing and there’s always an awesome Pearl Jam fan that will come up to me and say, ‘My god, I love what you guys are doing for the kids with EB.’”
Matter of Time, which is premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival, is set against the backdrop of Vedder’s Seattle benefit show in 2023 to raise funds for the disease, and features personal stories from parents and young patients impacted by the disease.
“The closer you get to this community and the more you understand it, you cannot escape how difficult the challenges are for these families,” Eddie Vedder says in the clip. “We’ve had to clear some hurdles already that are examples of why you can have faith and why you can have hope, but the tricky part is patience.”
Eddie continued, “If raising funds and raising awareness, if those things are able to fuel the process, and the scientific end of finding a cure and how to apply it. It feels like just a matter of time.” (The film shares its title with Vedder’s 2020 song of the same name, a track he wrote in tribute to “everyone worldwide afflicted with EB.”)
In addition to Vedder’s music, Matter of Time — directed by Matt Finlin and executive produced by Jill Vedder — also features an original score by Broken Social Scene.
“Eddie’s presence is in every frame, whether he’s physically there or not. His leadership, his love for Jill and their dedication to the EB community, his relentless belief that this can be cured — it shaped the spirit of this film,” Finlin tells Rolling Stone. “He doesn’t just fundraise; he instills purpose. He makes the world stop and listen, then act. I think the real measure of Eddie’s influence isn’t just what you see onscreen, it’s in what you feel after watching it: that we’re all part of this, that we must be part of this.
“This is a story of rare disease, but even more so, it’s a story of rare community,” Finlin adds. “A group of people who’ve decided that this isn’t just about surviving — it’s about treatments, it’s about curing. It’s about taking big swings. And they’ve backed that hope with action. Michael Hund, the CEO of EB Research Partnership has a great quote in the film: ‘All of us in this community that have the profound honor of serving those that battle EB, our duty is to give them something to march to, that illuminates an end game.’ Matter of Time is a love letter to that fight.”
As for Broken Social Scene’s score, Finlin said of working with the band’s frontman Kevin Drew, “When I told him about the film, he simply asked the band, ‘Are you in?’ And they were. They gave their time, their talent, and created something truly special. Their music sits alongside Eddie’s performances in a way that feels seamless. The emotional current they bring to the film is something I’m deeply proud of. Honestly, I’d love to hear more of it.”
Matter of Time will premiere Thursday at the Tribeca Film Festival; the opening screening will also feature an intimate acoustic performance by the Pearl Jam singer.
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