,

Tuesday 24 April 2012
“Rhythm Is It!”
Enrique S?nchez Lansch and Thomas Grube, 104 minutes, Documentary, Germany, 2004.

Berlin, January 2003. In a former bus depot something amazing is happening. 250 pupils from 25 nations are dancing to Stravinsky's Sacre du Printemps which they have rehearsed for nearly three months, trained by the British choreographer Royston Maldoom and accompanied by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under its chief conductor, Sir Simon Rattle. 'Rhythm Is It!' is a moving record of the fascination of music and the training, of passion, diligence, love, esteem and the joy found in effort.


The film won several awards In 2005, among which: the Best Documentary Award at the Bavarian Film Awards, the Critics Award at the German Critics Association Awards, the Best Editing and Best Documentary Awards at the German Film Awards.


Wednesday 25 April 2012
“Kinshasha Symphony”
Claus Wischmann, Martin Baer, 95 Minutes, Documentary, Germany, 2010.

Kinshasa, the capital of the Republic of the Congo and the third-largest city in Africa. Almost ten million people live here and they number among the poorest inhabitants on this planet. Kinshasa is the home of Central Africa’s one and only symphony orchestra – L’Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste. Amidst poverty, crimes and the difficulties of everyday life, over 200 people meet to practice Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. It’s a film about Congo, about the people of Kinshasa and not least about music.


In 2011, the film was nominated for the Best Documentary Award at the German Film Awards and won the Audience Award at the Riverun International Film Festival.


Thursday 26 April 2012
“Who Is HighLife?”
Wilma Kiener, Dieter Matzka and Alpha Yahaya Suberu, 106 minutes, Documentary, Germany, 2010.

Highlife Music is the rock-'n'-roll of Africa, and it all started in Ghana, West Africa. There is hardly a musical style which has not been fused with Highlife rhythms. This led to the genesis of Burger Highlife, a fusion of traditional music with disco and funk that was created in the recording studios of Düsseldorf and Berlin by Ghanaian musicians. Accompanied by music and interviews, the film tells the story of how this specific brand of fusion music came about. Top Burger Highlife stars present their hits. Since there is always more to music than the music itself, the documentary has also turned into a film about Ghana.