HAIYU: Rebel Singer Mariem Hassan and the Struggle for a Free Western Sahara (2024)

Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon

Supermensch documents the astounding career of Hollywood insider, the loveable Shep Gordon, who fell into music management by chance after moving to LA straight out of college, and befriending Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix. Shep managed rock stars such as Pink Floyd, Luther Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass and Alice Cooper, and later went on to manage chefs such as Emeril Lagasse, ushering in the era of celebrity chefs on television.

Who in the Hell Is Regina Jones?

Before Rolling Stone, there was Soul Newspaper. Behind Soul, there was Regina Jones. Against all odds, Regina blazed her own path, and at 80 has found herself again.

You've Got A Friend: The Carole King Story

Documentary telling, in her own words, the story of Carole King's upbringing in Brooklyn and the subsequent success that she had.

The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott

When Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott died on 4 January 1986, he was 36 years old. His early death from a drug-related illness placed him in the same rock 'n' roll league as his idols Elvis and Jimi Hendrix. This documentary looks behind the image to reveal the strains of life in the fast lane. It also focuses on Lynott as family man, writer, and black Irishman with a Brazilian father. Includes contributions from Bono, Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, Scott Gorham, and Lynott's wife Caroline Crowther, who speaks publicly for the first time. (Radio Times)

The Real McCoy

Rock musician Andy McCoy, formerly of Hanoi Rocks, takes us on a "trip" through his mind, memories and imagination. Documentaries, real life and Mr. McCoy's acid mind intertwine to form an interesting experience.

Two Trains Runnin'

The search of several young, white men for blues singers who have been missing for decades coincides with the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi in the 1960s.

Monochrome: Black, White & Blue

From America's deep South, to Detroit and New York this captivating and enlightening documentary special traces the evolution of blues through pivotal moments in American history. Brewer discovers that there was no music called 'the blues' when its creators just stepped into a new feel of musical expressionism… just a means of releasing a lifetime of pain and oppression, from which music, momentarily, set them free.

Jimmy Barnes: Working Class Boy

With nine #1 albums to his name, Jimmy Barnes is one of Australia’s greatest rock icons. But his success masked a life of hardship and abuse, where the music that once saved him from oblivion almost came back to destroy him. Before Jimmy Barnes was Jimmy Barnes, he was James Dixon Swan, a troubled kid from the mean streets of Glasgow – and the even meaner streets of North Adelaide – trying to survive against a backdrop of addiction, alcoholism, poverty and abuse. For Jimmy, escape was the only option and he found it with a band called Cold Chisel. But the rock’n’roll lifestyle has its own temptations and the scars of childhood are always waiting to take you home. Based on the bestselling memoir and directed by veteran Australian filmmaker Mark Joffe, Working Class Boy is both an inspiring story of rock and redemption told in Barnes’ own words and an unflinchingly honest reflection on fame, creativity and depression.

Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase the Blues Away

Chicago blues great Buddy Guy never was the same after he heard John Lee Hooker’s seminal “Boogie Chillun’” while growing up in his rural stomping grounds of Lettswork, Louisiana. In 1957 he set out for the Windy City and its vibrant blues scene, where he played his way into the clubs, cut records, befriended and gigged with other greats (Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Otis Rush), forged his skillful, intense, wild persona, hit the road, influenced new generations of musicians (Mick, Keith, Eric, Stevie Ray Vaughan), performed at the Obama White House and collected nine Grammys along the way. Supported by a sumptuous assemblage of performance footage, testimonials from those he’s inspired (including Clapton, Carlos Santana, Gary Clark Jr., and John Mayer) and some classic blues licks, Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase the Blues Away finds Guy (now a young 84) looking back at his life, providing valuable insight into his music while leaving room for some memorable anecdotes.

Norman Wisdom: His Story

The life story of Sir Norman Wisdom, who went from street urchin to become one of the UK's most bankable and loved film stars of the 1950-60s. The documentary pays tribute to his life, featuring family, friends and colleagues.

Taylor Swift: Speak Now

Join Taylor Swift as she performs nine songs in unique locations, including New York's Central Park and on top of a tour bus in downtown Hollywood. The special also features behind-the-scenes footage from the making and releasing of Speak Now.

David Bowie: Out of this World

Through his ever changing reinvention, Bowie has become a symbol for fearlessness, innovation and creativity. He has become a true icon. A Phenomena that people will always remember, as he altered music forever.

American Hardcore

Inspired by Steven Blush's book "American Hardcore: A tribal history" Paul Rachman's feature documentary debut is a chronicle of the underground hardcore punk years from 1979 to 1986. Interviews and rare live footage from artists such as Black Flag, Bad Brains, Minor Threat, SS Decontrol and the Dead Kennedys.

Neil Young: Heart of Gold

In March 2005, Neil Young was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. Four days before he was scheduled for a lifesaving operation, he headed to Nashville, where he wrote and recorded the country folk album Prairie Wind with old friends and family members. After the successful operation and recovery period, he returned to Nashville that August to play at the famed Ryman Auditorium, once again gathering together friends and family for this special performance.

Jimi Hendrix: Hear My Train a Comin'

An account of the short life of genius musician Jimi Hendrix (1942-70), probably the most talented and influential guitarist of the twentieth century: his humble beginnings in Seattle, his time in New York, his rise to fame in swinging London… Live fast, love hard, die young.

Without Getting Killed or Caught

Follow Guy Clark, Susanna Clark, and Townes Van Zandt as they rise from obscurity to reverence: Guy, the Pancho to Van Zandt’s Lefty, struggling to establish himself as the Dylan Thomas of American music, while Susanna pens hit songs and paints album covers for top artists, and Townes spirals in self-destruction after writing some of Americana music’s most enduring and influential ballads.

Imagine… Pet Shop Boys: Then and Now

Featuring exclusive access to their recent tour and their new album, this documentary reveals the fascinating world of Pet Shop Boys, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe.

Dont Look Back

In this wildly entertaining vision of one of the twentieth century’s greatest artists, Bob Dylan is surrounded by teen fans, gets into heated philosophical jousts with journalists, and kicks back with fellow musicians Joan Baez, Donovan, and Alan Price.

Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words

Utilizing potent TV interviews and many forgotten performances from his 30-year career, we are immersed into Frank Zappa’s world while experiencing two distinct facets of his complex character. At once Zappa was both a charismatic composer who reveled in the joy of performing and, in the next moment, a fiercely intelligent and brutally honest interviewee whose convictions only got stronger as his career ascended.

Paul McCartney - Eine Beatles-Legende

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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: One More Time with Feeling

Andrew Dominik's One More Time With Feeling is a remarkable black and white documentary which chronicles the creation of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' album Skeleton Tree. Originally a performance based concept, the film evolved into something much more significant as Dominik delved into the tragic backdrop of the writing and recording of the album. The result is stark, fragile and raw, and a true testament to an artist trying to find his way through the darkness. It documents the writing, recording and performing of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ sixteenth studio album, Skeleton Tree.

To Hear Your Banjo Play

A short film about Pete Seeger and the birth of banjo music throughout the Southern United States.

Elton John: Live at Dodger Stadium

Documentary originally from The Russell Harty Show chronicling Elton John’s iconic two-day concert at Dodger Stadium in 1975.

Harmonium in California

Through concerts and interviews, folk-progressive group Harmonium takes Quebec culture to California. This documentary full of colour and sound, filmed in California in 1978, recounts the ups and downs of the journey of the Quebec musical group Harmonium, who came to feel the pulse of Americans and see if culture, their culture, can succeed in crossing borders.

Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero

A remarkably intimate portrait of an artist on tour navigating identity, family, expectations, and acceptance, all while reflecting on his place within the legacy of Black, queer performers.

Jackson: Na Batida do Pandeiro

The life and career history of singer and percussionist Jackson do Pandeiro, whose originality and unusual rhythmic quality influenced several prominent artists in Brazilian popular music. With unpublished testimonies from professional colleagues and family members, as well as archival footage of their participation in cinema and radio, the documentary traces their journey between troubled relationships, dramas, controversies, stardom, ostracism, the return to the artistic milieu, even his death in 1982.

Eric Clapton: Sessions for Robert J

Live, intimate, and raw, Sessions For Robert J is the essential audio/video companion to Eric Clapton's 2004 gold, Top 10 Me And Mr. Johnson, tribute to blues legend Robert Johnson. Filmed during tour rehearsals in London and Dallas plus a Los Angeles hotel room and the Dallas warehouse where Johnson made some of his final recordings, Sessions for Robert J finds Clapton performing all Robert Johnson songs with his touring band, acoustically with Doyle Bramhall II and solo-as well as discussing Johnson and his influence. A performance/documentary DVD with 14 tracks (from which the 11 CD selections are taken), Sessions for Robert J is blues heaven.

Tales From a Golden Age: Bob Dylan 1941-1966

Documentary - Tracing his career up to the point of his 1966 motorcycle accident and subsequent disappearance from the spotlight, this unauthorized documentary uncovers a side of Bob Dylan never revealed before. Includes extensive interviews and rare footage. - Mickey Jones

Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?)

The life and work of the enigmatic singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson.

Tiny Tim: King for a Day

The story of Tiny Tim’s improbable rise to stardom is the ultimate fairytale - and so is that of his downfall. For a brief time, the shy and truly unusual outsider artist was the biggest star in the world.

A Farra do Circo

This documentary highlights the evolution of Brazil's Circo Voador venue from homespun artists' performance space to national cultural institution.

Long Way to the Top

Long Way to the Top is a story about the trials and tribulations of working musicians and life on the road. From unexpected tour line-ups to the undying love of their fans. Featuring interviews with Grizfolk, Weezer, Def Leppard and more.

Prince: A Purple Reign

Part of BBC Four's Black Music Legends of the 1980s, this documentary explores how Prince - showman, artist, enigma - revolutionized the perception of black music in the 1980s with worldwide hits such as "1999," "Kiss," "Raspberry Beret" and "Alphabet Street." He became a global sensation with the release of the Oscar-winning, semi-autobiographical movie "Purple Rain" in 1984, embarking on an incredible journey of musical self-discovery that continues to this day.

The Object Formerly Known as a Record

The Object Formerly Known as a Record, the Movie is a film portraying the Mexican Rock band Café Tacvba in the process of creating their latest album. The film could be described as an "Album Movie", combining the musical and philosophical ideas of the band members, beautifully rendered performances and a poetic visual-score that culminates in a truly intimate portrait of Café Tacvba's creative process.

Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music of 'Inside Llewyn Davis'

A concert inspired by the Coen Brothers' film, 'Inside Llewyn Davis,' which is set in the 1960s Greenwich Village folk music scene, featuring live performances of the film's music, as well as songs from the early 1960s. Performers include the Avett Brothers, Joan Baez, Dave Rawlings Machine, Rhiannon Giddens, Lake Street Dive, Colin Meloy, The Milk Carton Kids, Marcus Mumford, Punch Brothers, Patti Smith, Willie Watson, Gillian Welch, and Jack White, as well as the star of the film Oscar Isaac.

Jacqueline du Pré: Genius and Tragedy

Yo-Yo Ma narrates a documentary about the remarkable cellist Jacqueline du Pré, whose life and career were cut short by multiple sclerosis.

Baquet's Comeback

July 1956: like every summer, the actor and cellist Maurice Baquet temporarily deserts the stage and the cinema studios to go to Chamonix where the mountaineer Gaston Rebuffat is waiting for him. A few days later, the two men achieved a historic first, that of the south face of the Aiguille du Midi (3,842 m), a magnificent wall rising like a rampart above the Vallée Blanche. July 1988: to pay tribute to the memory of his friend Gaston, now deceased, Maurice Baquet once again climbed this wall suspended between heaven and earth with the man who, 50 years his junior, is considered one of his best contemporary mountaineers: Christophe Profit.

Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl

From Nashville newcomer to international icon, singer Shania Twain transcends genres across borders amid triumphs and setbacks in this documentary.

ReMastered: Devil at the Crossroads

Robert Johnson was one of the most influential blues guitarists ever. Even before his early death, fans wondered if he'd made a pact with the Devil.

Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields

Ten years in the making, Strange Powers is an intimate documentary portrait of songwriter Stephin Merritt and his band the Magnetic Fields. With his unique gift for memorable melodies, lovelorn lyrics and wry musical stylings that blend classic Tin Pan Alley with modern sounds, Stephin Merritt has distinguished himself as one of contemporary pop's most beloved and influential artists.

Across This Land with Stompin' Tom Connors

Stompin' Tom performs live at the Horseshoe Tavern on Queen St. in Toronto.

Though You May Not Know

An account of the life and work of the Spanish poet Luis García Montero; a journey through his experiences, his mentors, his influences and his contact with other artists, both from the literary world and from other disciplines.

David Crosby: Remember My Name

You thought you knew him. Meet David Crosby now in this portrait of a man with everything but an easy retirement on his mind. With unflinching honesty, self-examination, regret, fear, exuberance and an unshakable belief in family and the transformative nature of music, Crosby shares his often challenging journey.

Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man

Poet, singer / songwriter and ladies man Leonard Cohen is interviewed in his home about his life and times. The interview is interspersed with archive photos and exuberant praise and live perfomances from an eclectic mix of musicians, including: Jarvis Cocker, Rufus & Martha Wainwright, Teddy Thompson, ANOHNI, The Handsome Family and U2's Bono and The Edge.

Paul Simon and Friends | The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song

The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song will honor either a songwriter, interpreter, or singer/songwriter whose career reflects lifetime achievement in promoting the genre of song as a vehicle of artistic expression and cultural understanding. Paul Simon, one of America's most respected songwriters and musicians, was the recipient of the first annual Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Named in honor of the legendary George and Ira Gershwin, the award recognizes the profound and positive effect of popular music on the world's culture.

The Concert for Bangladesh

A film about the first benefit rock concert when major musicians performed to raise relief funds for the poor of Bangladesh. The Concert for Bangladesh was a pair of benefit concerts organised by former Beatles guitarist George Harrison and Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar. The shows were held at 2:30 and 8:00 pm on Sunday, 1 August 1971, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, to raise international awareness of, and fund relief for refugees from East Pakistan, following the Bangladesh Liberation War-related genocide.

America's Blues

America's Blues takes a new angle on the Blues, focusing on, not only the musical impact it has had on all forms of Popular American Music, but also the influence it has had on art, fashion, language, film and racial equality.

Heaven Adores You

Heaven Adores You is an intimate, meditative inquiry into the life and music of Elliott Smith. By threading the music of Elliott Smith through the dense, yet often isolating landscapes of the three major cities he lived in -- Portland, New York City, Los Angeles -- Heaven Adores You presents a visual journey and an earnest review of the singer's prolific songwriting and the impact it continues to have on fans, friends, and fellow musicians.

Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan

A celebration of the Irish punk/poet Shane MacGowan, lead singer and songwriter of The Pogues, that combines unseen archive footage from the band and MacGowan’s family with original animations.

Serial Killer Culture

Serial Killer Culture examines the reasons why artists and collectors are fascinated by serial killers.