Keanu Reeves, right, arrives with, from left, Glenn Five, Rob Reiner and Steve (Lips) Kudlow, of Canadian rock band Anvil, for The Times BFI London Film Festival screening of Anvil! The Story of Anvil at a cinema in central London on Tuesday. (Joel Ryan/Associated Press)

Keanu Reeves lent some fellow Canadians a bit of star power in Leicester Square Tuesday night at the London Film Festival debut of the documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil.

The Matrix star walked the red carpet and chatted with reporters about the movie, which tells the story of Canadian metal band Anvil. The Hollywood actor and sometime-rocker also introduced the film before its screening.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil, which received raves at Sundance, Toronto's Hot Docs and other film festivals across North America, is directed by Reeves's friend, British screenwriter and director Sacha Gervasi.

It explores how Anvil co-founders and schoolmates Steve Kudlow and Robb Reiner formed the band in Toronto in their youth, found some fame in the 1980s and how, now in their 50s, the duo continue to perform even today and battle fading into obscurity.

Screenwriter Gervasi, who once worked as a roadie for Anvil, decided to return to the band to make his film directorial debut.

"It's a really great story. It's a really inspiring film about friendship," Reeves said on the red carpet, adding that he recalled seeing Anvil posters "everywhere" growing up in Toronto.

Sarah Brown, wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, also walked the film's red carpet to support her screenwriter brother Sean Macaulay, who worked on the production as well.