Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan & T-Rex
John, and Ringo Starr, and filmed musical interpretations by artists such as Nick Cave, John Cameron Mitchell, Joan Jett, U2, Lucinda Williams, and son Rolan Bolan, among others, Angelheaded Hipster explores the complexity and revolutionary music of Marc Bolan and T. Rex.
DetailBob Marley: One Love
After an attempt on his life in his native Jamaica amidst a destabilising wave of political violence, Bob Marley settled in London where he created his seminal album Exodus. This documentary describes how his revolutionary music, focused on conveying a message of love and unity, and his story of overcoming adversity made him a legend around the world.
DetailBring Minyo Back
Minyo Crusaders have embarked on the mission-to revive the traditional Japanese folk song Minyo. Their approach: They blend Minyo from all corners of Japan with Latin and Afro beats, creating a rich modern rhythm. This film provides an intimate glimpse into the world of Minyo Crusaders and their innovative process of 'bringing Minyo' to contemporary audiences. AFTER THE SCREENING THERE WILL BE A Q&A WITH THE DIRECTOR YUJI MORIWAKI.
DetailCabin Music
Canadian piano player James Carson built a wooden cabin in the Canadian wilderness with his hands, where his music came to life. The also filmmaker documented the creation of his debut album, “The Story of Birds,” which was born in the cabin as part of an intimate connection with nature. Cabin Music is a project that embodies sustainable music making and invites us to connect with the world around us. Carson plays his music live after the film.
DetailCatching Fire - The Story of Anita Pallenberg
Anita Pallenberg was an unapologetic rock ‘n’ roller, actress, muse, and mother who rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s. Drawing on words from her unpublished memoir, narrated by Scarlett Johansson, and using never-seen-before home movies and family photographs, Anita draws us deep into her world, including her life with The Rolling Stones, in a bittersweet tale of both triumph and heartbreak.
DetailDon't Ever Stop: Tony de Vit
De Vit kept the 90s generation dancing through the worst years of the AIDS epidemic. The story of his life is told in his own words and through interviews with those closest to him, covering so diverse topics such as the North Ireland crisis, substance abuse, politics, community and homophobia. The film switches from emotional beats to humour.
DetailElis & Tom: it Just Had to be You
In February 1974, the famous Brazilian singer Elis Regina and the bossa nova star Tom Jobim met to record an album that would later become an icon of Brazilian popular music. Unpublished images reveal the intimacy of that creative process and the artistic explosion that came from that encounter, including dramatic moments that almost left the project incomplete.
DetailEuropean Talent Competition Screening
SoundTrack_Cologne will again present the WDR FILMSCORE AWARD and EUROPEAN TALENT AWARD SOUND DESIGN awards this year as part of the European Talent Competition. In the contest, young composers and sound designers were asked to create the music or sound for the short film "Balcony Cacophony" (D: Quentin Haberham). 12 finalist teams will be presented to the jury and the public.
DetailEven Hell has its Heroes
Not only did the band Earth create a glacially paced subgenre of metal and accidentally played a pivotal role in the popularization of grunge, but leader Dylan Carlson also did it while battling small-town boredom, heroin addiction, and the tragic death of his roommate and best friend, Kurt Cobain. The story of how Earth became the slowest metal band on the planet.
DetailFeneen
How do young African musicians find opportunities in the music industry? Senegalese producers, rappers, writers, and sound engineers provide a complex and unexpected picture of Dakar’s vibrant urban music scene highlighting the fundamental rule of the urban subculture in debunking the stereotypical image of the African continent.
DetailGo Your Way
As Ukrainian all-female punk band Death Pill was putting the finishing touches to their debut album, Russia launched an invasion of their country, forcing the band to separate. After a year and a half apart, the three friends reunited on a tour that allowed them to spend time together, vent about the hard time they lived and are still facing, and, in the meanwhile, perform their passionate music in packed venues across the UK. This film is presented together with Scream of my Blood. A Gogol Bordello Story. By purchasing a ticket you have access to both films. AFTER THE SCREENING THERE WILL BE A Q&A WITH THE DIRECTOR DAN BASKERVILLE AND THE COMPOSER NICK CROFT.
DetailGustavo Santaolalla - SoundTrack_Cologne 21 Livetime Achievement Award Winner
Two-time Oscar winner Gustavo Santaolalla (Brokeback Mountain 2006 · Babel 2007), who will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 21st edition of SoundTrack_Cologne, will talk about his vast experiences as composer of scores for film (Amores Perros), TV (Dear Child) and video games (The Last of Us) Moderator: Oscar nominee Gary Yershon.
DetailHave You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd
Syd Barrett was a founding member of the world-famous Pink Floyd and yet his life ended very far from the stage and fame. What happened to the creative mind after he left the band? Featuring interviews with David Gilmour, Roger Waters, among others, the film explores Barrett's lasting contributions to Pink Floyd, as well as the genius's psychedelic period and subsequent downfall.
DetailIn the Shadow
In the Shadow is a documentary that follows, like a diary, the creation of Clã's last original album - Véspera - set to be released in the spring of 2020. This first chapter shows us the rehearsals, the recordings, the meetings with the creative teams, the exchange of secrets, the decisions about the design of the album, the shooting of music videos, the organization of concert dates, and the entire creative process that leads to the release of an album by one of the most important Portuguese bands, until the moment when the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
DetailJoan Baez: I Am A Noise
At the end of a 60-year career, legendary singer Joan Baez takes an honest look back trying to make sense of her history-making life and personal struggles. Baez reflects on her public triumphs and private battles, including her activism that even led her to be close to Martin Luther King, mental health struggles, a case of abuse, and considerations on her relationship with Bob Dylan.
DetailLet the Canary Sing - Cyndi Lauper
With never-before-seen footage, stories told by Cyndi Lauper herself, and interviews with her friends, the documentary takes an intimate tour of the artists' generational impact through their music, punk style, feminism, and activism. Lauper has not only become iconic for her distinctive voice and counter-current lyrics but also for her defense of minority rights.
DetailLil Nas X: Long Live Montero
With the launch of his first song “Old Town Road” at the age of 19 and after a short career as an online content creator, Lil Nas is recognized as a black queer icon of the Z generation. This documentary film captures the two-time Grammy-winning artist navigating identity, family, and acceptance amid the planning and performance of his first tour ever.
DetailLittle Richard: I Am Everything
Little Richard blew up the whitewashed canon of American pop music with his musical skills and charisma that made him a rock pioneer in the 1950s and an icon seven decades later. This film shows how the revolutionary artist who embodies the black queer origins of rock 'n' roll kept his life divided between God, sex and music.
DetailMarried to the Music
As one of the most recognized House Music DJs in the UK, Sam Divine has a lot to say about the industry from her female perspective. She opens up about her love of raving and her rise to fame in the face of inequality, misogyny, and addictions to drugs and drink. This documentary also celebrates House Music's history and the dancefloor's ecstasy from its origins in the gay black clubs of Chicago. AFTER THE SCREENING THERE WILL BE A Q&A WITH THE PRODUCER NOOSH BERBERIAN.
DetailMichel Gondry, Do It Yourself!
Punk teenager dreaming of Méliès’ silent film Stop-Motion experiments, Gondry has woven in three decades an admirable work. Through a long-term interview, archives, and testimonies, this documentary shows how Gondry re-invented the music video and challenged Hollywood with his distinctive hand-made visual style, from his earliest clips to his best-known music videos for Björk, Daft Punk, the White Stripes, and the Chemical Brothers.
DetailNasty Women
Silent film with live music from the Ensemble Garage: Female Comedies is an entertaining journey of discovery through early film history and presents seven short films by and with women. The project highlights the creativity of women in the pioneering days of film with music from today, ranging from electronics to experimentation. Presented by: Theresa Szorek ONLY IF THERE'S SPACE: Co-op. with WDR 3
DetailPaul Dessau. Let’s hope for the Best
Dessau was a violin prodigy who became Otto Klemperer's assistant and then an accomplished conductor and composer reflecting his Jewish background. Fleeing the Nazis to the US he became Bertold Brecht’s collaborator and - after his return - an East German musical enfant terrible and celebrity. He wrote concerts, oratorios and film music for mountain films and Walt Disney animations. The film portraits the contradictions in his character, his life and work, and the contributions he made to music in his historical context.
DetailPeer Raben Music Award - Competition Screening
The best original music in a short film will be awarded with 1,500 euros. 7 film scores from award-winning festival highlights of the international short film scene have been nominated, including "27" (Palme D'Or Cannes), "Gigi", "Unless we dance" (over 20 festivals including Youth Jury Prize Oberhausen ISFF, BUFF IFF), "Dodo" (30 festivals including Annecy Animated IFF), "Do you have kids", "Jesus lebt" and "Spatzenhirn" (including Goldener Spatz Festival, competition). The nominated guests present their work! Moderation: André Feldhaus
DetailPOEMS - A Journey through Icelandic Poetry
Composer Viktor Orri Árnason and soprano Álfheiður Erla Guðmundsdóttir ventured on a musical road trip through Iceland, where they set out to discover more about the poetry of the most eminent writers of their country, which inspired their latest album ‘Poems, released via the iconic Deutsche Grammophon label in late 2023. AFTER THE SCREENING THERE WILL BE A Q&A WITH THE DIRECTOR ROBIN THOMSON AND THE PRODUCER ANTONIO CÁRDENAS.
DetailRock Chicks - I am not female to you
What if the king of rock & roll was actually a queen? There is no need to look deep; just listening closely, it is easy to recognize Memphis Minnie's guitar in Chuck Berry and Eric Clapton, Sister Rosetta's spirit in Jerry Lee Lewis, and Big Mama Thornton's vocals in Elvis. This film is a tribute to the women rocking on stages through Suzi Quatro, Linda Gail Lewis, Kathy Valentine, among many others.
DetailScream of my Blood: A Gogol Bordello Story
"Immigrant attitude and festivity of world culture" is how the band Gogol Bordello defines itself. This documentary pays special tribute to the life of band founder Eugene Hütz, chronicling his childhood journey to the U.S. as a Ukrainian immigrant, his rise to fame with the immigrant punk band Gogol Bordello, and his defiant return to Ukraine after the Russian invasion. A story celebrating the energy of music and diversity.
DetailShort Films
An invitation to experience a state of collective dreaming and contemplation with our short film program. This selection delves into unlived realities, exploring the poignant intersections of choice and chance. Each film reflects on the possibilities that slip through our grasp, providing a sharp, introspective look at the dreams that shape our lives and the new paths they inspire.
DetailSimple Minds: Everything is Possible
Five working-class kids from post-industrial Glasgow formed a band in 1977. By the mid-80s, they were rock stars. From the Live Aid to Mandela's 70th birthday tribute, they are remembered in the inspirational story that features the friendship built between Jim Kerr and his fellow composer Charlie Burchill and never seen private footage.
DetailSoundTrack_Cologne 21 Award Ceremony and Concert
SoundTrack_Cologne (STC), Europe's leading congress for music and sound in film, games, and media, which is held annually in Cologne, reaches its 21st edition this summer. For the very first time, the closing ceremony will be open to the public. The event includes the presentation of five awards, among them the Lifetime Achievement Award, received this year by two-time Oscar winner Gustavo Santaolalla, and a concert by the Neues Rheinisches Kammerorchester with more than 40 musicians on stage.
DetailTeaches of Peaches
"Teaches of Peaches" captures Merrill Nisker's transformative journey into the cultural powerhouse Peaches during her 2022 Anniversary Tour. This documentary blends archival material with tour footage, providing an intimate look at the feminist musician, producer, and performance artist. It offers unparalleled access to Peaches' world and showcases her originality and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ rights.
DetailThey Shot The Piano Player
A journalist from New York discovers the story of Tenorio Jr., one of the legends of the bossa nova, who disappeared in 1976 while on a tour in Argentina, and decides to delve into the mystery. This animated documentary, which includes interviews with legends such as João Gilberto, Caetano Veloso, and Vinicius de Morae, shows what the artists of the time had to fight in the midst of totalitarian regimes.
DetailZEF: The Story of Die Antwoord
The story of the controversial South African band of rap-rave Die Antwoord, tracing it from its humble beginnings to a global phenomenon. Narrated by Ninja and Yo-Landi’s daughter, Sixteen Jones, this documentary explores the last five years of the group including the controversies surrounding their children.
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