SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D’ETAT

LIFE AND MUSIC

SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D’ETAT

Director: Johan Grimonprez

Belgium, France, Netherlands / 2024 / 150' / English, French, Dutch; Turkish subtitles

Screenplay: Johan Grimonprez

Editing: Rik Chaubet

Producer: Daan Milius, Rémi Grellety

This Oscar-nominated documentary examines the 1960 coup in Congo within the context of the U.S.'s cultural and political intervention. It revisits Patrice Lumumba's assassination and the colonial power dynamics of the era through archival footage and jazz music. The Soundtrack of a Coup offers a powerful journey where resistance in Congo intersects with music.

Awards

  • 2024 Sundance World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award Cinematic Innovation
  • 2024 Bergen Documentaire Extraordinaire
  • 2024 Sofia International Documentary Competition Best Documentary
  • 2024 Montclair Bruce Sinofsky Prize for Documentary Feature
  • 2024 IDA (International Documentary Association): Best Screenplay, Best Editing

This film will be screened with a ticket fee at IstinyePark Renk Cinema in the 9:00 PM session. Information about ticket sales will be announced on our social media channels.

TRAILER
Johan Grimonprez

Johan Grimonprez

He studied visual arts and participated in the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program in New York. In 1997, he gained international recognition with his film essay dial H-I-S-T-O-R-Y, which notably anticipated the events of September 11. Grimonprez creates original works blending reality and fiction, focusing on history and media.

His films Looking for Alfred (2005) and Double Take (2009) have won numerous international awards and been screened at major festivals. His latest feature-length film, Shadow World (2016), won Best Documentary at the Edinburgh and Valladolid festivals. His documentary Soundtrack to a Coup d’État was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Documentary category at the 2025 Academy Awards.

Grimonprez’s works are included in major collections worldwide, including Paris, Berlin, Tokyo, and New York. He is currently a faculty member at the School of Visual Arts in New York.