‘The Greatest Night in Pop’ Director on How to Make a Movie About a Song You Think Is Corny

Over the course of an all-night recording session in January 1985, almost four dozen singers and musicians cut the charity single “We Are the World,” which went on to sell 20 million copies and raise more than $80 million for humanitarian aid. “Be Water” director Bao Nguyen rounded up many of the principals, from Lionel Richie (who wrote the song with Michael Jackson) to Bruce Springsteen to talk about what it was like.

You’re too young to have remembered “We Are the World” when it came out. What was your experience with the song?
I was about 2 years old when the song came out.