Rave Culture is one of Britain’s great cultural exports, but after its first wave in the late eighties and early nineties, it was soon forced into the underground by stringent new laws and superclubs. But forward 25 years into in the midst of a nationwide purge on the nation’s nightlife, where nearly half of all British clubs have shut down in the last decade, and a new kind of scene has emerged. Clive Martin investigates this 21st century version of Rave, where young people break into disused spaces with the help of bolt-cutters and complicated squatting laws, to suck on balloons and go hard into the early morning. But with the police using increasingly extreme tactics to clamp down on these parties, and more than one fatality causing nationwide media panic, can the scene survive?
Who Wants Tuki? (2012)
The film portrays two of the most important producers of a movement born in the early 2000s, as well as the testimonies of some of its signatures dancers. In addition, it shows the initiative of Abstractor Collective to rescue and export the authenticity of a catchy rhythm that begins to count amongst its followers important producers and artist of the international electronic scene.
72 hours ... And Valencia was the city (2008)
Documentary that addresses the phenomenon known as the "destroy route" or the "bakalao route" that placed the city of Valencia in the social and musical vanguard of the late 80s and early 90s.
Swedish Greasers (2019)
A sub culture evolved in Sweden in the 1950s – Swedish greasers. The greasers were young and wild, drove American cars and rebelled against society. We meet the next generation of motorised youth the “Neo-Greasers”. What price are they willing to pay to live a demand-less life?
Discovering Electronic Music: Revised (1983)
A short educational documentary on early electronic composition and synthesizers.
The Story of Skinhead (2016)
Don Letts examines the history of this notorious subculture in a fascinating documentary, which features interviews with members of different skinhead scenes through the decades. Beginning in the late 1960s, Don fondly recalls a time of multiracial harmony as youngsters bonded over a love of ska, reggae and smart clothes as white working-class kids were attracted to Jamaican culture and adopted its music and fashions. But when far-right politics targeted skinheads in the 1970s and 1980s, an ugly intolerance emerged, and Don reveals how the once-harmonious subgroup has since struggled to shake this stigma.
The Sound Is Innocent (2019)
As if directing a science-fiction film, Johana Ožvold dissects the story of electronic music. From the pioneer sound engineers working behind the Iron Curtain, through the French avant-garde composers, up to the post-modern creators of digital sonic artefacts, the first-time filmmaker summons an abstract landscape that is haunting and yet achingly beautiful. A voice appears from old television screens forgotten in the maze of some futuristic archive where past and future seem to coexist in a complex and multi-layered way.
Romantic Warriors IV: Krautrock (Part I) (2019)
The fourth in a series of feature-length documentaries about Progressive rock written and directed by Adele Schmidt and José Zegarra Holder. Krautrock, Part 1 focuses on German progressive rock, popularly known as Krautrock, from in and around the Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg regions of Germany. Artist featured include Kraftwerk, Neu, Can, Faust and others.
Vamos Pal Matiné (2017)
In its heyday, Changa Tuki, aka Raptor House, attracted thousands of young people to afternoon parties called "matinees", from those parties a controversial subculture grew, one that still echoes to this day. This is the story as told by its protagonists.
SubBerlin - Underground United (2008)
The original Tresor was in many ways the quintessential Berlin club: located in an unrenovated vault beneath a bombed out department store, it opened its doors amidst the general confusion and ecstasy that swept across the city when the wall fell. Its low ceilings, industrial decor and generally unhinged atmosphere created an unprecedented platform not only for techno in Berlin, but also for the scene taking shape across the Atlantic in Detroit.
Suspension: The Ultimate Body Experience (1999)
A look into the world of body piercing and suspension and the people who do it.
Strange Life: The Breech (1998)
A collection of footage and interviews with strange people and their exploration into the unusual and extreme side of body modification.
Future Sounds of Mzansi (2014)
‘Future Sounds of Mzansi’ is a documentary, which aims to explore, express, and interrogate South Africa’s cultural landscape. A chief vehicle of this exploration is electronic music, a staple of South African popular culture. The film explores the past, present and future of the scene and its multiple sub-genres, presented through the eyes of internationally acclaimed artist Spoek Mathambo.
The Decline of Western Civilization (1981)
The Los Angeles punk music scene circa 1980 is the focus of this film. With Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline, Circle Jerks, Fear, Germs, and X.
Death Metal Murders (2005)
Murder, rape, satanism and necrophilia is the staple diet of millions of teenagers who listen to the lyrics of extreme heavy metal music. This World investigates the potential links between "death metal" and a series of gruesome crimes around the world. In Italy a group of young death metal fans formed a satanic cult called the Beasts of Satan. At least four gruesome killings resulted. But death metal musicians deny that they have any responsibility for the actions of people who profess to be their fans. With exclusive access to the families, one of the killers and graphic police footage, the film tells the inside story for the first time. We hear from the musicians, the children and the parents from Oslo to California and ask just how far can music go in its ability to shock, and just how damaging might it be?
Paris Is Burning (1991)
Where does voguing come from, and what, exactly, is throwing shade? This landmark documentary provides a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City's African American and Latinx Harlem drag-ball scene. Made over seven years, PARIS IS BURNING offers an intimate portrait of rival fashion "houses," from fierce contests for trophies to house mothers offering sustenance in a world rampant with homophobia, transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty. Featuring legendary voguers, drag queens, and trans women — including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, and Venus Xtravaganza.
What We Started (2018)
Bert Marcus and Cyrus Saidi present an informed and absorbing exploration of the history of EDM, boosted by an energetic soundtrack and anchored by the personal stories of legendary DJ Carl Cox and superstar newcomer Martin Garrix. Insights from numerous other DJs and musical talents like Moby, David Guetta, Paul Oakenfold and Usher help tell the often oppositional tales of old school vs. new school and mainstream vs. underground.
Depeche Mode: 2008–11 “Usual thing, try and get the question in the answer” (2009)
"Usual thing, try and get the question in the answer" - A conversation with the band discussing recording techniques, inter cut with personal archive footage from previous album sessions.
Lindsey Stirling: Brave Enough (2017)
Beginning on the eve of her thirtieth birthday, “Brave Enough,” documents violinist Lindsey Stirling over the past year as she comes to terms with the most challenging & traumatic events of her life. Through her art, she seeks to share a message of hope and courage and yet she must ask herself the question, “Am I Brave Enough?” Capturing her personal obstacles and breakthrough moments during the “Brave Enough,” tour, the film presents an intimate look at this one-of- a-kind artist and her spectacular live performances inspired by real-life heartbreak, joy, and love.