Portrait #4: Soundwatch Berlin Music Film Festival
Today, we’re travelling to the capital of Germany and taking an interest in Soundwatch Berlin Music Film Festival. Created in 2017, Soundwatch presents around 15 music documentaries each year and explores various approaches to combining image and music, including music video, media art and narrative features.
➔ Next edition : November 2021.
▷▷ One of Soundwatch’s favourite music films/documentaries of all time ?
“AMY (2015) by Asif Kapadia, because it opened our eyes about an artist we didn’t closely follow rather than just reinforcing existing tastes and fandoms. That’s a hallmark of a truly good music documentary. Honorable mentions : Monterey Pop because it was one of the first ones we ever saw and it opened so many doors and Step Across The Border for showing what’s possible.”
▷▷ One of the most memorable screenings organized by Soundwatch ?
“ The screening of experimental documentary about Socialist modernist architecture with specially composed music score in iconic Socialist modernist building.”
▷▷ The music film/doc the Soundwatch team would love to see being made ?
“ Documentaries about Allee Willis, the Red Wedge movement, the music mag The Wire and its impact on discourse, Radio 100, Gudrun Gut, Francoise Cactus, The English Beat, Pauline Black… if only we had the resources to be commissioning editors.”
▷▷ One music film/doc that didn’t get as much praise as it should have according to the Soundwatch’s team ?
” The Magic Voice Of A Rebel – Magický hlas rebelky (2014) by Olga Sommerová, about Czech chanteuse/dissident Marta Kubisova. It was successful in its home country but not as widely seen abroad as it should have been. The people who saw in Germany were flashed by the protagonist’s gorgeous voice, charisma, dry sense of humor and her story which encapsulates 50+ years of European history. “
▷▷ A music film/doc of your country you really enjoyed lately.
” Krautrock : The Rebirth of Germany (2009) by Benjamin Whalley “
▷▷ In one word what does the MFFN mean for you ?
“ Sharing ”
➔ Soundwatch on Facebook : Soundwatch Berlin Music Festival