Three to see at LFF 2014 if you like ... films about music

Edwyn Collins, Danish hip-hop and a musical road trip across the US are the subjects of programme advisor Stuart Brown’s hot tips for music films at this year’s BFI London Film Festival.

Stuart Brown
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The new film from an established director …

The Possibilities Are Endless

The Possibilities are Endless (2014)

The Possibilities are Endless (2014)

What’s it about?

In 2005 Edwyn Collins, singer-songwriter and former frontman of celebrated and influential Scottish post-punk band Orange Juice, suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke that destroyed his memory and power of speech and left him in hospital for six months. The Possibilities Are Endless tells Collins’ story by capturing his overwhelming re-entry into the world, charting his determined, heroic effort to recover, and painting a sensitive and moving portrait of a truly extraordinary man.

Who made it?

James Hall and Edward Lovelace, a British directing duo who have cut their teeth with impressive style in the world of commercials and music video, working under the moniker D.A.R.Y.L. Their music videos in particular are worth checking out (you can do so at the Pulse Films website) and have often been shown at the BFI’s regular celebration of new music video, BUG. My own personal favourite is their gloriously raw and frenetic promo for ‘Abandon Ship’ by hardcore punk rockers Gallows – they really get in tight to both band and audience to capture the energy of being part of a Gallows gig.

The pair previously made Werewolves across America (2010), which follows nomadic folk icon Viking Moses as he drifts through the world of the underground American DIY music scene. I think that The Possibilities Are Endless will be a transformative moment, putting James and Ed on the map as exciting new voices in British filmmaking.

What’s special about it?

Despite the potency of Collins’ story, James and Ed made a decision not to make a conventional documentary; instead we find a film that is part abstract, part dramatic re-enactment (Collins’ son is cast as the young Edwyn, and Yasmin Paige appears as Collins’ wife Grace), and part meditative documentary, it’s a risk that pays off – the cinematic flourish and leaning towards film as art give us a real glimpse of Collins’ emotional journey back from the brink.

The breakthrough …

Flow (Ækte Vare)

Flow (2014)

Flow (2014)

What’s it about?

Living in the housing projects of Copenhagen’s Brondby Strand, Mikael is a softly spoken and easy-going young man, struggling to make ends meet as a labourer and reluctant to join his friends in the excitable criminality which is escalating toward something he doesn’t want to be a part of.

Played with genuine charisma by real-life rapper Kian Rosenberg Larsson, Mikael is the most talented within his friend’s hip-hop crew, who dream of escaping a dead-end life via their tough-sounding, streetlife-fuelled music. When his obvious talent draws him to the attention of Apollo, an established and successful rapper whose creative power is on the wane, Mikael is torn between his loyalty to his friends and the potential of a rewarding career in the music industry.

Who made it?

Fenar Ahmad, a Czechoslovakian-born son of Iraqi refugees who settled in Denmark in the mid-80s. He was part of the Danish film collective Super16, and he attracted international attention with his 2010 short Megaheavy. Here he confidently shows off a talent for both crisp, slick aesthetics and an intimate knowledge of his subject and milieu – elements that combine to persuasive effect.

What’s special about it?

On paper, Flow has the distinct feel of a film that could have fallen into rags-to-riches aspiring musician cliché, but on screen it feels real and engaging. Ahmed presents the world in the tough end of Copenhagen society non-judgmentally and draws lively and compelling performances from his cast. With an authentic script and punchy soundtrack, there’s much to enjoy in this new addition to the pantheon of the hip-hop movie.

The wild card …

Austin to Boston

Austin to Boston (2014)

Austin to Boston (2014)

What’s it about?

London’s Communion record label decide to take a posse of their artists on an old-school tour across the United States, covering 3,000 miles and travelling exclusively in five old VW camper vans. Ben Howard, the Staves, Nathaniel Rateliff and Bear’s Den are joined by label boss and member of Mumford & Sons, Ben Lovett and singer-songwriter Gill Landry for the adventure, which takes in the inevitable breakdowns (mechanical and emotional), fatigue and tension alongside packed venues and wonderful, joyous live music.

Who made it?

James Marcus Haney’s first film, No Cameras Allowed (2014), followed him as he determinedly blagged his way into gigs and music festivals and got himself close enough to some of the acts he loves to come away with unusually intimate footage. Mumford & Sons admire his chutzpah and adopt him as their official tour photographer. 

Austin to Boston sees him spread his directorial wings, employing a distinctive visual style that perfectly reflects the retro feel of the group’s ambitious undertaking but also the bittersweet beauty of the music they make. The film looks gorgeous and it’s clear that Haney must have practically lived with a camera in his hand.

What’s special about it?

In a world where the music industry has all but collapsed, and live music experiences are often dripping with corporate sponsorship and overblown production, Austin to Boston feels like joyous pain relief. It’s a group of people who make delicate, rousing, beautiful music and this film shows them sharing it with one another and the delighted crowds they perform to in simple rooms with very little, if any, production. It’s back to basics and it feels uplifting and nourishing. When I first saw it, I wanted to start over and watch it again straight away. 

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