Music Film Festival edition 2023

music film festival

 

Knowing The Score

Opening film. Australian documentary by Janine Hosking about one of the first female conductors in the world: Simone Young. In a world dominated by (white) men, Young manages to rise to the absolute top and conducts the (opera) orchestras of Berlin, Vienna, New York and Sydney, among others. Featuring live Q&A with Simone Young from Melbourne, Australia.

The Story of Countdown

A two-part documentary by Jan Douwe Kroeske about the legendary music program Countdown, which was one of the leading music programs in Europe in the 80s and 90s. Big stars such as Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger or David Bowie come to the studios in Bussum especially for this. Countdown presenter Simone Walraven talks about her experiences at the Music Film Festival.

Play with the Devil

Documentary by Olivier Joliat and Matthias Willi about the Swiss musician Manuel Gagneux and his black metal band Zeal & Ardor. The band broke through internationally in 2017 via the Roadburn festival in Tilburg and released album after album. A success that the timid Gagneux himself has difficulty with. Joliat and Willi are both at the Music Film Festival to talk to the audience.

Music for Black Pigeons

Documentary by Danish filmmakers Andreas Koefoed and Jorgen Leth, who followed jazz guitarist Jakob Bro for 14 years during music recordings with all kinds of international jazz greats, such as Lee Konitz, Thomas Morgan and Paul Motian. A film about the love and meaning of making music.

Jakob Bro Solo

Solo performance by Danish jazz guitarist Jakob Bro. His style is characterized as experimental jazz, in which he uses his guitar, loops and sound effects to create a dreamy atmosphere, inspired by folk music. Before the concert at the Music Film Festival, Bro is interviewed by jazz journalist Mijke van Wijk.

Have You Got It Yet: Syd Barret

Documentary by Roddy Bogawa and Storm Thorgerson about the founder of Pink Floyd: Syd Barrett, the main composer of the first successful album ‘The Piper at the Gates of Dawn’. Years later he is kicked out of the band for unruliness. At the Music Film Festival, journalist Jeroen Overbeek interviews American director Roddy Bogawa.

 

Who Killed the KLF?

Documentary by Chris Atkins about the rise and equally sudden disappearance of the successful British band KLF, more a music experiment by artists Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty than a real band. After the song ‘What Time Is Love’ became a hit in 1990, the band became a hype. But after two years, Drummond and Cauty are fed up with the music industry and pull the plug on KLF.

El Cantina, Ook Dat is Rock ‘n’ Roll

Documentary by Piek Kock about the punk rock group El Cantina from Berkel-Enschot, followed during the recording of their first album. Their dream is to break through internationally, especially in Japan. But then the band’s guitarist, Marc van Rijswijk, dies.

Golden Earring Clips

Special interview session with director Dick Maas and Golden Earring bass player Rinus Gerritsen about the video clips that Maas made with the Earring. From ‘Twilight Zone’ to ‘When The Lady Smiles’ and ‘Burning Stuntman’. Two fragments from the concert film that Dick Maas made about the Golden Earring for MTV America can also be seen at the Music Film Festival.

Inside Scofield

Documentary by Jörg Steineck (Berlin) about the American jazz rock guitarist John Scofield. As withdrawn as Scofield lives at home on his farm, he is as outgoing as a musician: almost permanently on tour, he performs night after night and travels all over the world. An interview with Jörg Steineck at the Music Film Festival.

Stamping Ground

Restored documentary from 1971 by George Sluizer and Hans Jürgen Pohland about the Holland Pop Festival in Kralingen, Rotterdam in 1970. Big names such as Pink Floyd, Santana, Jefferson Airplane and the Byrds perform at this ‘Dutch Woodstock Festival’. The Dutch band Supersister by Robert Jan Stips is also on the main stage.

Robert Jan Stips Live

Frontman/keyboardist of Supersister, and later keyboardist of Transister, Sweet d’Buster, Golden Earring and Nits, performs at the Music Film Festival following the film ‘Stamping Ground’. Journalist Jos Belt interviews Stips about his experiences at the Holland Pop Festival and Stips plays live songs from Supersister, such as ‘She Was Naked’, ‘Radio’ and ‘Dona Nobis Pacem’.

Jan Donkers’ Favorites

Talk show with music fragments around pop journalist and radio program maker Jan Donkers (Volkskrant, VPRO) conducted by Jeroen Overbeek. His career spans more than half a century, which music fragments made the most impression on him? With excerpts from Bruce Springsteen, The Ramones, Jonathan Richman and Son House.

Marciano X Born – Stretch and Bobbito

Two hip-hop documentaries in one screening. ‘Marciano A live Q&A with Martens at the Music Film Festival. In ‘Stretch and Bobbito’, two radio DJs look back on how they played hip-hop artists on college radio who later became world famous, such as Eminem and Jay-Z.

Walking in the Opposite Direction

Documentary by Marc Waltman about the singer/guitarist Adrian Borland, frontman of new wave band The Sound, haunted by psychological problems. His mental situation produces beautiful songs, but also inevitably leads to his death. At the Music Film Festival an interview with Mike Dudley, drummer of The Sound, director Marc Waltman and producer Jean-Paul van Mierlo.

Born In Chicago

Documentary by John Anderson and Bob Sarles about the history of the Chicago blues, narrated by Dan Aykroyd (The Blues Brothers). With fragments from Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield. After the film screening at the Music Film Festival there will be a live interview from Chicago with John Anderson.

 

Robbert Fossen Live

Following the film ‘Born In Chicago’, a performance by the most famous interpreter of Chicago blues in the Netherlands: guitarist/singer Robbert Fossen. In the past he has toured and performed with American blues artists such as Tail Dragger, John Primer and Melvia ‘Chick’ Rodgers. Fossen transforms the hall of Pathé Tilburg Center into an intimate blues pub.

Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes

Documentary by Sam Pollard and Ben Shapiro about the life and career of jazz drummer and founder of bebop, Max Roach. Roach played with greats such as Charles Mingus, Clifford Brown and Duke Ellington. In addition to being a musician, Roach was also active as an activist for the black community. A conversation with the Dutch jazz drummer Joost Patocka at the Music Film Festival.

Joost Patocka & band Live

Following the film, drummer Joost Patocka will give a concert with music inspired by the work of Max Roach. For this he put together a special Roach band consisting of Dutch top players from the bebop and hard bop scene. With Ian Cleaver (trumpet), Gideon Tazelaar (saxophone), Thomas Pol (double bass) and Joost Patocka (drums).

Alain Johannes & band

Interview with film fragments by Jan Douwe Kroeske with desert rock legend Alain Johannes – guitarist of Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures and PJ Harvey – followed by a concert. Music Film Festival is the start of his European tour, together with members of the band Iron Jinn.