Billy Preston: That's The Way God Planned It
Paris Barclay - USA - 104 mins
Mega-talented keyboardist and songwriter Billy Preston was often referred to as "the best musician in the room." In this mesmerizing, music-rich documentary, Paris Barclay examines the late musician's extraordinary career and life. Raised in the Black church, Preston was a child prodigy who played organ on tour with Mahalia Jackson at 10. As a solo artist, ... more
OPENING NIGHT
The Marching Band
Emmanuel Courcol - France - 103 mins
The Marching Band is an irresistibly heartwarming dramedy that follows the crossed paths of two protagonists: Thibaut, a world-renowned conductor living a seemingly charmed life, and Jimmy, an ordinary factory worker who plays the trombone in a local marching band. When Thibaut learns of his potentially life-threatening illness, a blood compatibility test ... more
Monsieur Aznavour
Mehdi Idir, Grand Corps Malade - France - 133 mins
Monsieur Aznavour is a rise-to-stardom biography of a man who became one of France's best-loved entertainers and personified French culture to the rest of the world. Born into poverty, Charles Aznavour is heavily influenced by his parent's love for music. Ridiculed for his short stature and raspy tenor voice, his early attempts at a showbiz career falter. ... more
The Musicians
Grégory Magne - France - 102 mins
Astrid Thompson finally succeeds in fulfilling her father's dream: to bring together four Stradivarius for a unique concert, eagerly expected by music lovers around the world. But Lise, George, Peter, and Apolline, the four virtuosos recruited for the occasion, are incapable of playing together. The rehearsals are one ego crisis after another. With no solution ... more
Salad Days: A Decade of Punk in Washington, DC (1980-90)
Scott Crawford - USA - 98 mins
Salad Days is a documentary that examines the early DIY punk scene in the Nation's Capital. For LA and New York, punk was a fashion but in Washington, D.C., it was a lifeline. The tiny not-quite-state produced some of the most furious bands in the nation: Teen Idles, Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, Government Issue, and Fugazi. Former fanzine creator ... more
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