SOUNDWATCH
Berlin (Germany)
MUSIC FILM FESTIVAL
Founded in 2017, Soundwatch – Berlin Music Film Festival presents music documentaries and and explores various approaches to combining image and music, including music video, media art and narrative features. The festival strives to be a platform for audiences to discover new sounds and experience music through the moving image.
Acclaimed films such as Liberation Day – Laibach in North Korea, Here To Be Heard – The Story of the Slits, I Want My MTV, The Rise and Fall of the Clash, The Sound Is Innocent, New Order: Decades, The Go-Go’s, Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World, Fonko, Built to Last: Relics of Communist-Era Architecture, Cool Cats, Hustlers Convention, Under the Underground, Sex & Broadcasting.: A Film About WFMU, The Ballad of Shirley Collins, Boy Howdy! – The Story of CREEM Magazine, Una banda de chicas , San Remo, The Vasulka Effect, the film work of Jan Ságl and many others celebrated Berlin premieres at Soundwatch. Our program presents films which show the social contexts in which music originates and engages with. The Lichtblick-Kino, a collectively run cinema in a legalized squat is our main venue.
In addition to the annual festival days (usually during the first week of November), Soundwatch presents monthly screenings of film-themed films such as Nico, 1988, Carmine Street Guitars, Coal Country Song (Gundermann Revier) and short film programs, often with live music. In cooperation with Berlin-based musician/artist/filmmaker Marco Brosolo, Soundwatch contributes to annual live music/film events celebrating late lo-fi singer-songwriter and artist Daniel Johnston.
Portrait
Created in 2017, Soundwatch Berlin Music Film Festival presents around 15 music documentaries each year and explores various approaches to combining image and music, including music video, media art and narrative features.
▷▷ 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 ”
