Narrative and documentary films focused on music and its many forms and styles. This selection highlights the power of music, be it rap or classical, as a toll of enlightenment and liberation.
Films — by Strand
Rhythms
Eno
This groundbreaking documentary on musician, artist and superstar producer Brian Eno changes every time it screens. The two New Zealand premiere screenings at the Festival will both be completely different and will never be seen again.
Gloria!
An energetic re-envisioning of Baroque music through the lens of the fiery female composers whose revolutionary work was concealed throughout history.
In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon
Paul Simon is that rare popular artist who has produced vital music across seven decades. Drawing on archives and intimate new footage, this comprehensive documentary examines the creative career of a lifelong seeker.
Kneecap
Belfast’s own Beastie Boys become unlikely figureheads of the Irish Language Act in this madcap biopic of sex, drugs, and Gaelic rap.
Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line
Defying the traditional rock ’n’ roll narrative, this is the story of how a young Australian hard rock band developed a political conscience and brought their audience along with them.
Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus
Opus is a starkly intimate, self-performed elegy capturing a dying man’s genius.