Copenhagen Intl. documentary Film Festival (CPH:DOX), which runs in-person March 21-April 3, has revealed the lineup for its music program, Sound & Vision.
Highlights of the program, which contains 18 films, include a Nick Cave documentary, a look at the rise and fall of Sinéad O’Connor’s music career, the story behind Leonard Cohen‘s hit “Hallelujah,” and an examinations of an album composed by artificial intelligence. The music of Leonard Bernstein, Stockhausen, XXXTENTACTION and a feminist metal band from Lebanon will also feature.
Although people have been singing along to Cohen’s “Hallelujah” for more than 40 years, it flopped when it was first released in 1984. The documentary “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song” takes us through Cohen’s career and the creation of “Hallelujah,” which he worked on for seven years.
Cave’s film “This Much I Know to Be True” focuses on an intimate concert experience, and also provides an insight into his collaboration with his creative partner Warren Ellis, and presents one of the musician’s other passions: Making sculptures of the devil.
In “Nothing Compares,” we follow O’Connor’s path from international pop star to exile from mainstream music, while also dealing with religion, gender identity and the male-dominated music industry.
“Look at Me!” explores how teenager Jahseh onfroy became the SoundCloud rapper XXXTENTACTION, one of the most streamed artists in the world. Family, friends and romantic partners, together with archival footage paint a picture of an artist whose acts of violence, raw musical talent and open struggles with mental health left an imprint on a generation before the rapper’s death at the age of just 20 years old.
Beach Boys front-man Brian Wilson’s life has been filled with drug abuse, abusive relationships, and loss, before being diagnosed with schizophrenia. “Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road” is a sensitive story about survival and finding strength in music.
“Anonymous Club” follows the headstrong Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett through three years of her life on the road. The film paints an honest portrait of an artist’s creative process, concert experiences, anxiety and insecurities.
“Meet Me in the Bathroom” is an insight into the resurrection of rock and roll on the Lower East Side of Manhattan that highlights some of the greatest musicians of the noughties, with bands like The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeah, LCD Soundsystem, Interpol and TV on the Radio.
The American pop group YACHT is constantly innovating and experimenting with ways to express their music. In “The Computer Accent,” the band puts their creative process in the hands of technology by making an album using only artificial intelligence.
The first all-female metal band from the Middle East takes the stage in “Sirens,” where dreams are big, but the possibilities are limited. The film follows the female band members’ path to become rock stars, while struggling with friendship, love and the violent revolution that breaks out in Beirut.
The full program for CPH:DOX will be announced on March 1.
SOUND & VISION
“A Sound of My Own” (Rebecca Zehr, Germany)
After her father’s death, Marja follows in his footsteps to become the new front-figure of the band Embryo. Marja is torn between finding her own voice in music and being true to her late father.
“Anonymous Club” (Danny Cohen, Australia)
On the road with slacker rock-queen Courtney Barnett in a cinematic postcard of a film about anything from a quarter-life crisis and stage fright.
“Bernstein’s Wall” (Douglas Tirola, U.S.)
Through interviews, TV appearances, home video and letters, we get a comprehensive portrait of one of the greatest American composers, Leonard Bernstein.
“Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road” (Brent Wilson, U.S.)
Beach Boys frontman Brian Wilson looks back on his life with drug abuse, unhealthy relationships, loss of a family member and a life altering diagnosis.
“The Computer Accent” (Sebastian Pardo & Riel Roch-Decter, U.S.)
How does music composed by artificial intelligence sound? The American synthpop group YACHT throws themselves into a creative experiment: Letting a computer compose their next album.
“Dream Diver” (Jonas Bang, Denmark)
Members of the band Dream Diver all know each other from Skovmoseskolen, a school for children with special needs. With the guidance of their teachers, they have found a common passion and the joy of expressing themselves through music.
“Freakscene” (Philipp Virus, Germany/U.S.)
An emotional, tragically funny, and noisy tribute to one of the American East Coast’s most influential bands, Dinosaur Jr.
“Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song” (Dan Geller & Dayna Goldfine, U.S.)
Through archive footage from concerts, radio and TV interviews, we follow Leonard Cohen and the making of the hit “Hallelujah.”
“L.A.R.S.T. H.U.G. Vega Koncert – G.R.E.A.T.E.S.T L.I.V.E” (Denmark)
Lars H.U.G’s last gig in 2016 in Vega has been turned into a concert film.
“Licht – Stockhausen’s Legacy” (Oeke Hoogendijk, Netherlands)
The Dutch National Opera, Holland Festival and the Royal Conservatory of Hague are staging the opera “Licht” by world-renowned composer Karlheinz Stockhausen. The result is an opera marathon that runs for seven days.
“Look at Me!” (Sabaah Folayan, U.S.)
Violence, raw musical talent, and mental-health problems. A sensitive portrait of SoundCloud rapper XXXTENTACION, who left an imprint on his generation before his death at the age of 20 years.
“Meet Me in the Bathroom” (Dylan Southern & Will Lovelace, U.K.)
With bands like The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeah, LCD Soundsystem, Interpol and TV on the Radio, “Meet Me in the Bathroom” gives an insight into what has been called the resurrection of rock ‘n’ roll on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
“Mija” (Isabel Castro, U.S.)
Doris Munoz is an ambitious, young music manager whose undocumented family relies on her ability to launch pop stars. When she loses her biggest client, Doris must find new talent, which leads to Jacks – another daughter of immigrants, for whom “breaking through” is not just a dream, it is a necessity.
“Nothing Compares” (Kathryn Ferguson, U.S./Ireland)
A portrait of the musician Sinéad O’Connor, who went from international popstar to eventually seeking exile from mainstream music. Focusing on her rebellious behavior from 1987 to 1993, the film reflects on the musician’s legacy.
“Rewind & Play” (Alain Gomis, France/Germany)
A great artist who lives and breathes music is whirled into a superficial media machine. A portrait of the American jazz pianist Thelonious Monk.
“Sirens” (Rita Baghdadi, Lebanon)
On the outskirts of Beirut, Lilas and Shery, co-founders and guitarists of the all-female metal band, struggle with friendship, sexuality and rage on their path to become rock stars.
“The Subhardchord – A Future That Never Happened” (Ina Pillat, Norway/Germany)
The Subhardchord was invented in 1950s East Germany as a symbol of the technology race between East and West. With the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Subhardcord was forgotten and the creator, Gerhard Steinke, is now trying to investigate what became of the last copies of his invention.
“This Much I Know to Be True” (Andrew Dominik, U.K.)
Answering fan mail, sculptures of the life of the devil and an intimate concert experience. A documentary about Nick Cave and his creative collaboration with Warren Ellis.
