CPH:DOX reveals music programme of 2022
An impressive new Nick Cave documentary, a touching profile of Sinéad O’Connor’s fame and ultimate demise from mainstream-pop, the story behind Leonard Cohen’s smash hit ‘Hallelujah’ and an album composed by artificial intelligence. These are some of the highlights from the music programme Sound & Vision which can be experienced during CPH:DOX 2022.
There are big names and intriguing stories in the Sound & Vision programme at this year’s CPH:DOX. The programme offers 18 brand new documentaries that explore the magical universe of music in various ways. The extensive music programme can be experienced at CPH:DOX from March 23 to April 3, 2022 in cinemas and at selected venues around Copenhagen.
“We have a fantastic music programme at CPH:DOX this year. Our audience will get the chance to explore the music of Leonard Cohen, Leonard Bernstein, Stockhausen and XXXTENTACTION, Sinéad O’Connor and the über-cool feminist metal band from Lebanon – just to mention some of the highlights,” says Niklas Engstrøm, Artictic Director of CPH:DOX.
Legendary Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave on the programme
For over 40 years, people have been singing along to Leonard Cohen’s hit-song ‘Hallelujah’. A hit that flopped due to a contradictory record label 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.
Nick Cave is also in the programme in the concert- and documentary film ‘This Much I Know To Be True’, whose focal point is an intimate concert experience. The documentary also provides an interesting insight into Cave’s collaboration with his close companion and creative partner, Warren Ellis, and presents one of the musician’s other passions: making sculptures of the devil.
The great personalities of the music industry
This year’s music programme also features the story of 90’s icon Sinéad O’Connor. ‘Nothing Compares’ follows the pioneering musician’s path from international popstar to eventually seeking exile from mainstream pop while dealing with religion, gender identity and the male-dominated music industry – well ahead of her time.
‘Look at Me!’ explores how teenager Jahseh Onfroy became the SoundCloud rapper XXXTENTACTION, one of the most streamed artists in the world. Family, friends, romantic partners, and archival footage paints a picture of an artist whose acts of violence, raw musical talent and open struggles with mental health left a huge imprint on an entire generation before the rapper’s untimely 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 to later 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.
Artificial intelligence, Lebanese metal, and the resurrection of rock ’n roll
Through old home footage, we get close to bands like The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeah, LCD Soundsystem, Interpol, and the Moldy Peaches’ during their heyday, where drugs and sexism were a part of everyday life. ‘Meet me in the bathroom’ is an unseen insight into the resurrection of rock ‘n roll on the Lower East Side of Manhattan that highlights the greatest musicians of the noughties.
The American pop-group YACHT is constantly innovating and experimenting with a lot of ways to express their music. In ‘The Computer Accent’, the band puts their entire creative process in the hands of technology by making an album using only artificial intelligence. But will a computer be able to create an entire album?
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 programme for CPH:DOX 2022 will be announced on March 1, 2022.
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 legendary band Embryo. Marja is in a dilemma 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 between a quarter-life crisis and stage fright – beautifully and sensuously captured on analog 16mm film.
Bernstein’s Wall (Douglas Tirola, US)
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, US)
Beach Boy front-man, Brian Wilson, looks back on his life with drug abuse, unhealthy relationships, loss of a family member and a life altering diagnosis.
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 / US)
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, US)
Through unseen archive footage from concerts, radio and TV interviews, we follow Leonard Cohen and the making of the smash hit ‘Hallelujah’.
L.A.R.S.T. H.U.G. Vega Koncert – G.R.E.A.T.E.S.T L.I.V.E (Lars Skovgaard Laursen, Denmark)
Lars H.U.G’s very last concert on the 1st of September 2016 in Vega (Denmark) has been turned into a spectacular 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 in 7 days.
Look at Me! (Sabaah Folayan, US)
Violence, raw musical talent, and mental problems. A sensitive portrait of SoundCloud rapper XXXTENTACION, who left a huge imprint on his generation before his untimely death at the age of 20 years.
Meet Me in the Bathroom (Dylan Southern & Will Lovelace, UK)
With bands like The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeah, LCD Soundsystem, Interpol, and Tv on The Radio, ‘Meet Me in the Bathroom’ gives an unseen insight into what has been called the resurrection of rock ‘n roll on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
Mija (Isabel Castro, US)
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, US / Ireland)
An intimate portrait of the musical icon Sinéad O’Connor, who went from international popstar to eventually seeking exile from mainstream pop. Focusing on her groundbreaking and rebellious behavior from 1987 to 1993, the film reflects on the legacy of the fearless musician.
Sirens (Rita Baghdadi, Lebanon)
On the outskirts of Beirut, Lilas and Shery, co-founders and guitarists of the first all-female metal band from the Middle East, struggle with friendship, sexuality and rage on their path to become metal rock stars.
Rewind & Play (Alain Gomis, France / Germany)
A great artist who lives and breathes for his music is whirled into a superficial media machine. A portrait of the American jazz pianist Thelonious Monk.
The Computer Accent (Sebastian Pardo & Riel Roch-Decter, US)
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.
The Subharchord – A Future that Never Happened (Ina Pillat, Norway / Germany)
The Subhardchord was invented in the 1950’s GDR 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, UK)
Answering fan mail, sculptures of the life of the devil and an intimate concert experience. A new documentary about Nick Cave and his creative collaboration with Warren Ellis.