SEE THE SOUND Programme
Alien Weaponry: Kua Tupu Te Ara
Teenage brothers Henry and Lewis formed the thrash metal band Alien Weaponry with the support of their parents, driven by a mission to bring Māori culture to the global stage. As they navigate the challenges of growing up and evolving their band, their dream of playing at Wacken Open Air becomes a reality.
DetailBankie Banx: King of the Dune
From building his first guitar at ten and touring the world with his reggae band to founding the Moonsplash Festival, Bankie Banx carved out his own musical kingdom. Dubbed “the Bob Dylan of the Caribbean,” this reggae trailblazer created a haven for creativity on Anguilla’s shores.
DetailBlur: To the End
Following the most recent chapter in the band’s story, the recording of Blur's first album in eight years and their sold-out debut shows at London’s Wembley Stadium, this documentary is an intimate portrait of the unique relationship between four friends and bandmates of three decades: Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James, and Dave Rowntree.
DetailBuddenbrooks - Silent Film Concert
The film Buddenbrooks (1923) by Gerhard Lamprecht, freshly restored by the Deutsche Kinemathek on the 150th anniversary of Thomas Mann's birth, will be presented live for the first time at SoundTrack_Cologne with its new music by Marco Brosolo. This first film adaptation of Thomas Mann's famous novel about the decline of a merchant's family is given a new emotional depth by Brosolo's composition. With Marco Brosolo (drums, synths, electronics), Kristina Lösche-Löwensen (theremin, violin, piano), Johannes Marx (piano, synths, electronics).
DetailDalton's Dream
In 2018, a young musician from rural Jamaica named Dalton Harris became the first Black, foreign man to win The X Factor UK. Filmed over four years, this intimate documentary follows his struggle with fame, love, and homophobic threats (homosexuality is illegal in Jamaica), as he strives to forge a career far from home.
DetailEuropean Talent Competition Screening
The WDR FILMSCORE AWARD and the EUROPEAN TALENT AWARD SOUND DESIGN will be presented as part of the European Talent Competition: Young composers and sound designers will develop completely new music and sound for the short film "BLOOM" (Dir: Michael Dämmig). Fourteen finalist teams will present themselves to the jury and audience. Moderation: Yati Durant
DetailEvery Note you Play
16 world-class musicians, including Heiner Goebbels, Peter Evans, Brìghde Chaimbeul and Muqata’a, meet in Monheim (Germany) with no script, no safety net. Over three days, they improvise across genres and cultures. Mika Kaurismäki’s film captures this radical experiment and asks: What defines creativity? This is about the pure musical experience, the clash of global sounds, and the courage to embrace the unknown.
DetailGame Music Composer Concert with Paul Wolinski
As a panelist at this year's SoundTrack Cologne 25, the composer Paul Wolinski will provide insights into his very specific technical and artistic working methods during the Composing for Video Games day at the congress and later that night he will also perform live and audiovisually with and against his machines and his code, with and against his Wreckage Systems.
DetailHalf Moon
When war erupts in Syria, clarinetist Kinan Azmeh is cut off from his homeland. Half Moon follows his emotional journey through exile, music, and fatherhood, while exploring the growing threat to cultural traditions posed by war and today’s political agendas. The film reshapes the narrative of contemporary Syria, serving as an ode to memory and love, despite the profound losses and wounds inflicted by conflict.
DetailHarder Than the Rock
Britain’s first reggae band, the Cimarons were formed by Jamaican immigrants in a London bus shelter in 1967 and helped ignite the reggae explosion in the UK. Despite their hard work and collaborations with legends like Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, and Paul McCartney, they remain hugely under-recognised. Harder Than the Rock tells the story of their remarkable journey and follows the band’s dream of performing live once more.
DetailHELIX
For over two years, Maurice Graf accompanied renowned Cologne-based composer and bassist Sebastian Gramss—active on an international scale—as he explored the musical HELIX phenomenon. In the HELIX project, more than 80 musicians collaborated with Gramss to rehearse, investigate, and develop innovative rhythmic spirals and new temporal structures within both improvised and composed music. These experiments took place in a wide range of ensembles—from trios to orchestral settings—forming the core of a new musical language.
DetailHip Hop Minute
35 years after the premiere of Big Fun in the Big Town which became a rap cult film, A Hip Hop Minute returns to 1986 New York to revisit hip-hop legends like LL COOL J, Roxanne Shanté, and DMC. Mixing archival material with new interviews, this sequel captures the lasting impact of pioneers who helped shape the rap culture.
DetailI was a Teenage Sex Pistol
Glen Matlock was a founding member of the Sex Pistols and co-wrote 10 of the 12 songs on the band’s only studio album, Never Mind the Bollocks. Featuring recordings, live performances, and insightful interviews that place the Sex Pistols in the broader context of their time, the documentary excellently illustrates the social and musical landscape that shaped their rise as one of the UK punk scene’s biggest icons, and their premature fall.
DetailLegacy
During the 1950s to 1970s, Scandinavia became a sanctuary for Black American jazz musicians seeking refuge from racism in the US. Narrated by the children of icons such as Dexter Gordon, Don Cherry, Sahib Shihab, Joe Harris, and Quincy Jones, this documentary delves into the complex legacy of racial struggle, political activism, and cultural exchange that shaped both their personal lives and the European jazz scene.
DetailLeo Records: Strictly for Our Friends
In 1973, Leonid Samuilovich flees the USSR and lands a job at the BBC in London. Five years later, radio host Alexei Leonidov starts releasing clandestine recordings smuggled from totalitarian countries via intricate cloak-and-dagger operations. Today, 86-year-old music producer Leo Feigin sits on top of over 30.000 LPs, contemplating on the meaning of his work amidst the grim outlook of new Iron Curtains.
DetailMetamorphosis: Stories Beyond the Surface
This short film program invites you to journey through the luminous and shadowed corridors of the human experience. Each film is a poetic fragment, exploring themes of loss, rebirth, and the search for meaning amid chaos and change.
DetailMona Mur in Conversation
A key figure in the German underground of the 1980s, Mona Mur blended post-punk, industrial, and electronic music with a bold pop sensibility. In this visually rich documentary, filmmaker Dietmar Post explores her artistic journey, collaborations, and the challenges of forging an independent path in the music industry.
DetailMonk in Pieces
While working on a new production of her masterpiece, Atlas, the composer, performer, and interdisciplinary artist Meredith Monk confronts herself with the idea of legacy, trying to find an answer to the question: what remains? With interviews from Björk and David Byrne, the film explores how the woman, once defined as “A disgrace to the name of dancing”, became one of the greatest artists of our time.
DetailMove Ya Body: The Birth of House
During the chaos of Disco Demolition Night, Vince Lawrence witnessed the violent backlash against disco, a genre emblematic of freedom and pride. Later, with his earnings, he bought a synthesiser and entered Chicago’s underground club scene, joining Jesse Saunders in Z Factor. Their track “On and On” became the first recorded house music anthem, transforming a local DIY culture into a worldwide phenomenon.
DetailMy Way
From a summer afternoon in France to becoming a global anthem, My Way traces the fascinating journey of one of the most covered songs in music history, from Sid Vicious to Nina Simone, or Pavarotti to Frank Sinatra. This documentary explores the song’s unexpected origins and its rise to iconic status across generations and genres.
DetailNew Wave
The Vietnamese diaspora in the USA became a musical phenomenon with the New Wave explosion of the 80s and 90s. Filmmaker Elizabeth Ai grew up amid this vibrant scene in Orange County, California, and now, by unearthing family secrets and old wounds, she revisits the generational trauma and cultural identity of her community traversed by Euro-synth dance beats and punk/goth aesthetics.
DetailOl' Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys
How did Russell Tyrone Jones transform into Ol' Dirty Bastard, the hip-hop alter ego superhero who would ultimately consume him? Unique private and archival footage tells the brutal story of the legendary rapper, from his Bronx upbringing and Wu-Tang Clan heyday to his untimely death on a dark night in Manhattan in 2004
DetailOnce Upon a Time Michel Legrand
A tribute to France’s greatest film composer, this documentary blends rare Super 8 footage and stirring performances to trace Legrand’s extraordinary journey as a pianist, jazz artist, conductor, singer, and composer, honoured with 2 Palmes d’Or, 3 Oscars, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, 5 Grammys, and many more. It shows intimate moments with his collaborators, friends, and his wife, as well as solitary moments dedicated to his writing.
DetailOne to One: John & Yoko
Delving into the 18 months John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent in Greenwich Village during the early 70s, the film explores that turbulent period and captures Lennon’s only full-length post-Beatles concert through previously unreleased, restored recordings, enhanced with remixed sound by his son Sean Ono Lennon. The result is a journey that challenges perceptions of the iconic couple and their legacy.
DetailOtto Lechner - The Minstrel
With wit, warmth and wild musical range, Austrian accordion virtuoso Otto Lechner invites us into his world of sound. From Kafka recitations to Pink Floyd tributes, from jazz to symphonic works, this intimate portrait captures the blind musician’s perception of life, art, and freedom on and off stage.
DetailPeaches Goes Bananas
Filmed, recorded, and photographed over more than 17 years by Marie Losier, Merrill Nisker, better known as Peaches, reveals one of her most intimate sides in this film. It explores her close relationship with her sister Suri (who has lived with multiple sclerosis for 35 years), her parents, and her partner, while also portraying the public persona that has made her a feminist queer icon and influential musician.
DetailPeer Raben Music Award - Competition Screening
The Best Original Music in a Short Film is awarded with prize money of €1,500. Nominated are 8 exceptional film scores from award-winning festival highlights of the international short film scene, representing a remarkable diversity of musical approaches and storytelling techniques.
DetailQueer as Punk
Faris is the trans man lead singer of Shh..Diam!, an openly queer punk band in Malaysia. Together with his bandmates Yon and Yoyo, they use their music to fight for LGBTQI+ rights in a country where human rights and freedom of expression are severely curtailed by a conservative Muslim society. The film portrays the courage of the band, their humorous friendship, and the spirit of punk.
DetailRave
From underground DIY parties to massive clubs like Ekwador, Rave traces the rise of Poland’s techno scene after the fall of the Iron Curtain. Guided by two young ravers and the pioneer artist Marcello Zamenhoff, the film explores how this liberating subculture still grapples with deep class divides. This film is presented together with Rotterdam Rave Culture: 30 Years of Heritage”. By purchasing a ticket, you have access to both films.
DetailRotterdam Rave Culture “30 Years of Heritage"
Three decades after gabber shook the world, Rotterdam still raves. Sound designer Dennis van Rijswijk and journalist Holly Dicker dive into the hardcore scene’s gritty legacy with interviews, party footage, and raw beats, tracing how a city’s rave pulse endured the rise, the fall, and the post-pandemic rebirth. This film is presented together with Rave. By purchasing a ticket, you have access to both films.
DetailS/He Is Still Her/E -The Official Genesis P-Orridge Documentary
A chronicle of the final year of Genesis P-Orridge’s life, revealing the sacrifices of a boundary-breaking pioneer-musician, avant-garde artist, spiritual explorer, and gender revolutionary. Featuring William Burroughs, Brion Gyson, Timothy Leary, Nepalese monks, African witch doctors, and a cameo by Queen Elizabeth. Includes rare archival footage and performances by Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV.
DetailSEE THE SOUND 2025 Cinema Pass
The full pass: Attend all films of the SEE THE SOUND 2025 programme.
DetailSound Dreams of Istanbul
Inspired by a dream, musician and filmmaker Anil Eraslan returns to Istanbul to create a film with local musicians. They transform their sonic dreams into performances in unconventional urban spaces. Blending Ottoman-Turkish music, electronic sounds, and free improvisation, the film captures Istanbul’s avant-garde scene, caught between nostalgic past and vibrant, evolving future.
DetailSoundTrack_Cologne 22 Award Ceremony and Concert
The SoundTrack_Cologne awards ceremony is once again open to the public this year. Five prizes will be awarded during the event, including the Career Achievement Award to the US composer Michael Abels (‘Nope’, “Us”, ‘Get Out’. The WDR Funkhausorchester will perform works by Abels and other SoundTrack_Cologne guests, including music from ‘Transformers Rise of the Beasts’, ‘Die Schule der magischen Tiere 3’, “Islands” and ‘Katla’.
DetailThe SoundTrack_Cologne 22 Career Achievement Award Winner
The composer Michael Abels - celebrated for his groundbreaking film scores for Jordan Peele's films ‘Get Out’, ‘Us’ and “Nope” and awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his opera ‘Omar’ - will be honoured with the Career Achievement Award at SoundTrack_Cologne. In an interview with journalist Daniel Kothenschulte (Frankfurter Rundschau), he talks about his career in the film industry.
DetailSur La Stre Nuro - Uncharted Soundscapes: Dialogues on Sound Experimentalism in Portugal
Constructed through conversations with 23 of the most relevant Portuguese experimental sound artists, Sur La Stre Nuro is an uninhibited sonic and documentary journey into the creation of experimental music in Portugal.
DetailSwamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted
Legendary cult sound and R&B musician Swamp Dogg and housemates Moogstar and Guitar Shorty have turned their San Fernando Valley home into a vibrant artistic playground. Together, they navigate the challenges of the music industry, forging a unique, inspiring journey through time and creativity.
DetailThe Extraordinary Miss Flower
The discovery of a suitcase of letters sent to Geraldine Flower in the 60s and 70s inspired singer Emilíana Torrini to return to the studio. Part psychedelic trip, part nostalgic love letter, and wholly unique, The Extraordinary Miss Flower reveals Flower’s story through a series of performances by Emilíana and her band, and readings of the letters by well-known artists such as Richard Ayoade, Siggi Baldursson, Nick Cave, Alice Lowe and Mark Monero.
DetailThe Life of Sean DeLear
Following the posthumous publication of his explicit teenage diaries, which revealed his journey as a Black, queer artist, Sean DeLear gained wider recognition years after his death. Known for his vibrant and transgressive personality, DeLear profoundly impacted Los Angeles’ underground music and art scenes throughout the late 1990s and 2000s.
DetailThe Swan Song of Fedor Ozerov
Just days before New Year’s, 25-year-old musician Fedor Ozerov returns home after a long trip. He is focused on forming a band and creating new music. Amid widespread fear of a rumoured Third World War starting on 1st January, Fedor remains determined to write songs, until his favourite daisy-patterned sweater, believed to hold magical songwriting powers, goes missing. Determined to recover it, he embarks on a spiritual journey to write a new song before the year ends.
DetailThe World According to Allee Willis
Allee Willis, best known for writing the "Friends" theme song, the Earth, Wind & Fire mega-hit "September," and the musical "The Color Purple", began filming her life as a child in 1950s Detroit, and never stopped. Not fitting conventional gender and sexual norms, Willis became an explosion of creativity, a fact well illustrated by friends such as Lily Tomlin, Patti LaBelle, and Cyndi Lauper in this film.
DetailWe are Fugazi from Washington
A raw, fan-made tribute to post-hardcore legends Fugazi, capturing their final 2002 show through rare footage and fan recordings. Its creators describe it as “not a documentary, but a collective memory,” celebrating the band and the fans who kept the cameras rolling.
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