A Jazz Film Day on 3 September 2026 at Metropolis Cinema Hamburg
Presented by the UNERHÖRT! Hamburg Music Film Festival
Thursday, 3 September 2026 | 7.00 pm | Metropolis Cinema
(Kleine Theaterstr. 10, www.metropolis-hamburg.de)
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
Directed by Johan Grimonprez | Documentary | Belgium / France / Netherlands, 2024 | Original version with German subtitles | 150 min.
Trailer and further information: https://grandfilm.de/soundtrack
In the early 1960s, an increasing number of African nations fought for independence from the European colonial powers. While the Soviet Union and other socialist states supported the liberation movements, the United States and its Western allies sought to safeguard their political and economic influence – particularly over Africa's natural resources.
As part of this strategy, the United States also relied on cultural diplomacy. Jazz legends such as Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie travelled to Africa as musical ambassadors, promoting a positive image of the West.
At the same time, leading figures of the American Civil Rights Movement, including Malcolm X, together with jazz musicians such as Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach, expressed solidarity with the anti-colonial independence movements.
Johan Grimonprez explores this intersection of decolonisation, the Cold War and jazz through the story of the Congo. At its centre is Patrice Lumumba,
the first democratically elected Prime Minister of the independent Congo. His government was deliberately undermined by the CIA and Belgium, the former colonial power, and his assassination is regarded as one of the most consequential political crimes of the decolonisation era.
Using dazzling archival footage, a compelling jazz soundtrack and remarkable historical sources – including Nikita Khrushchev's audio diaries, the memoirs of Andrée Blouin and essays by In Koli Jean Bofane – the film unfolds as a gripping and illuminating political thriller. (Based on material provided by Grandfilm.)
Featuring, among others, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Abbey Lincoln, Max Roach, Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Melba Liston, Eric Dolphy, Charles Mingus and Ornette Coleman.
Admission: €11 (€8 concessions). Cineville membership accepted. The cinema is fully wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, 3 September 2026 | 10.00 pm | Metropolis Cinema Bar | Free admission
Live Jazz with the Massoud Godemann Trio (MG3)
Hamburg guitarist, composer and storyteller Massoud Godemann leads a trio built on improvisation, interaction and musical exchange. Their chamber jazz combines groove, urban energy and moments of quiet melancholy.
Line-up:
Massoud Godemann (composition, guitar)
Gerd Bauder (bass)
Markus Strothmann (drums)
More information: https://massoudgodemanntrio.de
Following the Miles Davis Jazz Film Day in April, the UNERHÖRT! Hamburg Music Film Festival (25–29 November 2026) returns to Metropolis Cinema with another evening dedicated to jazz on screen. Celebrating its 20th edition in 2026, the festival looks forward to presenting another cosmopolitan and diverse selection of outstanding contemporary music films.
Presented by Metropolis Cinema and the UNERHÖRT! Hamburg Music Film Festival in cooperation with Jazz Moves, Selekta Shop and the Metropolis Cinema Bar. Conceived and curated by floating club (Instagram: @floatingclub_hamburg).
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