| Director: | Jørgen Leth, Andreas Koefoed |
|---|---|
| Production: | Ánorâk Film Denmark (Emile Hertling Péronard) |
| Running Time: | 92’ |
| Language: | English, Danish, Japanese |
| Country: | Denmark |
| Main Cast: | Jakob Bro,
Lee Konitz, Thomas Morgan, Paul Motian,
Bill Frisell,
Mark Turner,
Joe Lovano, Andrew Cyrille, Palle Mikkelborg, Jon Christensen, Manfred Eicher, Midori Takada |
| Screenplay: | Jørgen Leth, Andreas Koefoed, Adam Nielsen |
| Cinematographer: | Adam Jandrup, Dan Holmberg, Andreas Koefoed |
| Editor: | Adam Nielsen |
| Sound: | Peter Albrechtsen |
Cinema
Music for Black Pigeons
Out of Competition
Synopsis
Music for Black Pigeons is the first collaboration between Jørgen Leth and Andreas Koefoed. The film poses existential questions to influential jazz players such as Bill Frisell, Lee Konitz, Midori Takada and many others: How does it feel to play, and what does it mean to listen? What is it like to be a human being and spending your whole life trying to express something through sounds? The characters wake up, rehearse, record, perform and talk about music. In some moments they are on the edge, the edge of existence, constantly challenging themselves. They listen. They devote themselves to finding a space to create a connection to something bigger than themselves. Something that will outlast all of us. For the past 14 years, the filmmakers followed Danish composer Jakob Bro, witnessing his musical encounters with acclaimed and eccentric musicians from across generations and nationalities. Through Bro’s compositions, the film’s characters explore the space of music—and in doing so answer some of the questions the film poses, in a poetic, life-affirming and entertaining way.
Directors’ Statement
Jørgen Leth
My first film was a portrait of jazz pianist Bud Powell. That was 59 years ago. In 2008, I had not been involved with jazz for many years. But when I was offered to visit a recording session in New York with the Danish jazz guitarist Jakob Bro, I could not help it. Lee Konitz would be there. One of my great heroes from the old days. On that day, past and present came together, and the rest—as they say—is history.
Andreas Koefoed
In my childhood, I was a soloist in Copenhagen’s boys’ choir and toured Europe. The experience of standing in a choir of 100 boys in a large church room and singing works by Bach, Mozart and Handel gave me an early and very physical sense of the enormous power of music and its ability to touch people. I have been filming Jakob Bro since we were in New York in 2008, where Jakob recorded his first international record, Balladeering. His music speaks instinctively to me, and he and the musicians I have met through him have made a deep impression on me.
PRODUCERS/DISTRIBUTORS
PRODUCTION 1: Emile Hertling Péronard – Ánorâk Film Denmark ApS
Wildersgade 32, 3
1408 – Copenhagen K, Denmark
Tel. +45 26799654
emile@emileperonard.dk
http://www.anorakfilm.gl
PRESS OFFICE: Mirjam Wiekenkamp – NOISE Film & TV
Van Hallstraat 54
1051 HH – Amsterdam, Netherlands
Tel. +31 628652249
mirjam@noisefilmpr.com
https://noisefilmpr.com/
