This year marks the 50th anniversary of ABBA’s iconic Eurovision victory, a milestone that calls for a celebratory cinematic tribute fitting for the ultimate pop band. ‘ABBA: Against the Odds’ unveils the epic journey of ABBA’s rise to global fame. Starting with the moment they won Eurovision, it tells the story of how they overcame critical backlash, societal attitudes and marital break-up to deliver their ground-breaking music and prove themselves as a live act.
Skating Polly: Ugly Pop (2021)
Peyton Bighorse and Kelli Mayo are stepsisters from Oklahoma who founded their band, Skating Polly, in 2009 at the ages of 14 and 9 respectively. They call their style of music "Ugly Pop": building on the sounds of 70s Punk, early Grunge, and Folk, resulting in infectious melodies, but with real-life blemishes still showing. This fascinating in-depth documentary explores the early years of Skating Polly as Peyton and Kelli get their first taste of success, and try to stay true to themselves and their love of music. We see the two grow as people and musicians, and hear how they became the band they are today. Their earnestness throughout is refreshing and inspiring. Featuring Donita Sparks (L7), Kate Nash, SoKo, Lori Barbero (Babes in Toyland), Kat Bjelland (Babes in Toyland), and many more…
Druzhba: The Friendship Pipeline (2021)
"The Pipeline of the Century -- How Soviet Natural Gas Came to the West" by director Matthias Schmidt shows touching personal memories. The production is a treasure trove of material in which previously unpublished visual material about the construction of the century and its builders can be seen. Writer & Director Matthias Schmidt ; A Co-Production by LOOKSfilm and MDR in Cooperation with ARTE
No Smoking (2019)
A documentary about Haruomi Hosono, a musician respected around the world and the music composer of Cannes Palme d'Or winner Shoplifters. The footage traces his encounter with music in early childhood to his days in bands Happy End and YMO to his solo activities. It also includes in-depth coverage from recent years of his first overseas performances in London, New York and Los Angeles. In London, he was joined by Yukihiro Takahashi, and when Ryuichi Sakamoto made a surprise appearance onstage, the YMO members were reunited for the first time in five years, a must-see spectacle captured on film. Written by Nikkatsu
Michael Jackson: Life, Death and Legacy (2012)
Following the recent imprisonment of Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray for involuntary manslaughter, we are taken on a journey through the extraordinary life of Michael Jackson from his debut in the Jackson 5 to his untimely death in 2009.
The Arod Quartet: Ménage à 4 (2023)
Ten years of hard work have made the young Arod Quartet one of the most brilliant of its generation. For it takes years to blend together 4 individual talents into one. Their repertoire is ranging from Mozart to Bartok, Debussy to Kurtág.
His Majesty King Charles III (2023)
This documentary explores the life of Charles Philip Arthur George, the longest serving heir apparent to accede to the throne, leading up to his coronation in May 2023. It features interviews with those who know and have worked with him.
Sakıp Sabancı (1995)
Working, working, working... Here are the words that make up a contemporary Turkish fairy tale. In fact, this fairy tale is not just the story of one person or a family. It is also the story of a country...
Baraka (1992)
A paralysingly beautiful documentary with a global vision—an odyssey through landscape and time—that attempts to capture the essence of life.
Ray (2004)
Born on a sharecropping plantation in Northern Florida, Ray Charles went blind at seven. Inspired by a fiercely independent mom who insisted he make his own way, He found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard. Touring across the Southern musical circuit, the soulful singer gained a reputation and then exploded with worldwide fame when he pioneered coupling gospel and country together.
Armando's Tale of Charles Dickens (2012)
Armando Iannucci presents a personal argument in praise of the genius of Charles Dickens. Through the prism of the author's most autobiographical novel, David Copperfield, Armando looks beyond Dickens - the national institution - and instead explores the qualities of Dickens's work that still make him one of the best British writers. While Dickens is often celebrated for his powerful depictions of Victorian England and his role as a social reformer, this programme foregrounds the elements of his writing which make him worth reading, as much for what he tells us about ourselves in the twenty-first century as our ancestors in the nineteenth. Armando argues that Dickens's remarkable use of language and his extraordinary gift for creating characters make him a startlingly experimental and psychologically penetrating writer who demands not just to be adapted for television but to be read and read again.
Leslie Howard: The Man Who Gave a Damn (2015)
Documentary looking at the life and career of 1930s film star Leslie Howard. It features exclusive home movie footage, including footage from the Gone with the Wind set. The film includes extensive interviews with Howard's daughter, Leslie Ruth "Doodie" Howard, and contributions from friends and colleagues.
The Sound of Philadelphia (NaN)
Documentary will explore how Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff and Thom Bell – together known as "The Mighty Three" – founded the record label Philadelphia International Records and helped craft a signature sound heard in a catalog of over 3,500 songs.
Vegg Vegg Vegg (2022)
Norway's most popular duo Karpe, invest all their money and time in an immersive show to be performed for only 100 people. What is meant as a gift to the fans and a creative awakening after 20 years as artists, almost costs them their careers and their friendship.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live - Sweet Emotion (2009)
Second of nine volumes presenting of some of the best moments of speeches, performances and backstage moments of the annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies. Footage was culled from the RockHalls archives and represent 24 years of events.
Adam Jacobs - Behind the Curtain (2021)
Adam Jacobs was the original "Aladdin" in Disney's smash Broadway musical, with a list of other hits like Les Miserables and Something Rotten, but this docu-concert – filmed as a special one-night-only performance – explores his emotional personal journey, from growing up as a Filipino American in California to landing the role of a lifetime.
The Music of Life (2009)
Eldar Ryazanov reads his poetry. An introspective movie on his multifaceted work.
James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket (1989)
James Baldwin was at once a major 20th century American author, a Civil Rights activist and, for two crucial decades, a prophetic voice calling Americans, black and white, to confront their shared racial tragedy.
D'un Céline l'autre (1969)
Passers-by, those who knew him in his youth, René Barjavel, witness of his beginnings, his wife, his doctor, writers ... By questioning them Michel Polac tries to better understand the troubled personality of Louis-Ferdinand Céline, Notorious anti-Semite and genius writer.