Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat

During my life on the European continent, in a wealthy country that has benefitted enormously through the ages by suppressing other cultures, the stories of peoples enduring this suppression have been supressed enough that a story of this magnitude can suddenly struck you into silence.

A breathtaking musical journey depicting the rise and fall of the first Premier of Congo, Mr. Patrice Lumumba, showing the atrocities that the powers that be had to commit to steer history into a different direction.

I would like to implore anyone who hasn't seen this, to view this at your own peril, because this powerful documentary can blow your mind.

"Soundtrack to a Coup d'État" feels more like a jam session of ideas and emotions than a straightforward history lesson. Directed by Belgian filmmaker Johan Grimonprez, the documentary blends music, politics, and collective memory to transport us to post-independence Congo and dive into the tragedy of Patrice Lumumba's fall. It's a powerful mosaic where every element-from archival footage to the jazz-heavy soundtrack-contributes to a dynamic portrait of a historic moment filled with promises, betrayals, and echoes that still resonate today.

Right from the start, the film sets its tone by weaving vibrant footage of newly independent Congo with electrifying performances by jazz legends like Nina Simone and Louis Armstrong. The music isn't just background noise-it's a crucial part of the narrative, capturing both the optimism and the chaos of that era. Grimonprez uses jazz as a living metaphor for the political and social improvisation that defined the struggle for independence amidst Western powers' scheming. Every off-key note and unexpected pause mirrors the turbulence of a Congo striving to shape its own future while external forces worked to keep it chained to the past.

The documentary's non-linear structure is utterly fascinating, jumping between decades, events, and cultural contexts. This approach might feel disorienting at first, but it's a deliberate choice that reflects the complex history Grimonprez aims to unravel. There's no attempt to smooth over or simplify the narrative; instead, the film demands your full attention, pushing the audience to deeply engage with the events on screen. This fragmented style is also a reminder that colonialism and its aftermath aren't linear stories-they're scars that continue to branch out, connect, and reverberate.

At the heart of the film is Patrice Lumumba, a pulsating symbol of hope and tragedy. Grimonprez emphasizes his revolutionary vision and martyrdom without holding back. Lumumba is portrayed as a messianic figure, a leader whose dream of a sovereign Congo and a unified Pan-Africanism was as inspiring to his people as it was threatening to colonial powers. Here, the film takes on a heavier tone, showing how his vision was systematically dismantled through calculated assassinations, coups, and political manipulation.

Grimonprez also masterfully examines the intersections of culture and politics. The tours of musicians like Armstrong and Simone are contextualized as part of Western powers' soft diplomacy strategies, while the music they performed in turn became a form of cultural resistance. This duality-of artists often unknowingly serving imperialist interests while their songs inspired revolutionary movements-is one of the documentary's most tragic and thought-provoking aspects.

Perhaps the film's greatest strength lies in its ability to turn historical facts into a visceral experience. Its sharp editing connects archival footage of Lumumba's speeches, contemporary Congo scenes, and modern ads from brands like Tesla and Apple, drawing provocative parallels between colonial exploitation and present-day systems of extraction and inequality. It's a stark reminder that history doesn't just repeat itself-it evolves, often disguising its predatory core.

Even with its hefty runtime of 150 minutes, the film rarely loses its momentum. If the pacing occasionally feels slower, it's due to the sheer density of the material rather than any narrative misstep. Grimonprez seems more interested in overwhelming the audience with information than delivering a neatly packaged story. While this can be exhausting, it's immensely rewarding for those willing to dive into its depths.

Ultimately, "Soundtrack to a Coup d'État" isn't just a tribute to Lumumba or a study of Congo's past. It's a call to reflect on how music, culture, and politics are intertwined in a constant cycle of oppression and resistance. This is a film that challenges us to look beyond the headlines and listen to the stories that linger in the spaces between the notes-stories of struggle, loss, and the relentless pursuit of freedom.

What do jazz and a Coup d'Etat in Central Africa have in common? This documentary by Belgian filmmaker Johan Grimonprez uses a wide selection of historic footage to tell the story, spy thriller style. From American jazz greats such as Louis Armstrong and Nina Simone performing in Africa as good-will ambassadors, to on-the-ground scenes in the Congo as a Coup dÉtat brewed, powerful images fill the screen in rapid sequence. The narrative moves fast for 2 hours and 30 minutes, fusing music, sound, images and graphics to create a new kind of film. Although scenes were shot over half a century ago, the film feels fresh, urgent and contemporary.

This is not a "casual watching" kind of movie. I am glad I watched at home, because I had to stop and rewind a few times. At the end of the intense 150 minutes, one feels they experienced an immersion into a period of history through contemporary eyes, a rewarding dive. Brilliantly researched and edited, a Sundance Cinematic Innovation award recipient and Oscar nominee for Best Documentary, this film moves like jazz.

This smart, sophisticated documentary traces the improbably rise to power and eventual CIA-led assassination of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who was elected in May 1960, shortly before his country gained its independence from Belgium. Congo, a country rich with natural resources that were vital, among other things, to Western countries' weapons of war, had been colonized by Belgium since the late 19th century. This sad tale is the sadly predictable part of the story. Grimonprez puts these events in the context of the U. S. own black empowerment movement. Perhaps as sad as the political aspects, the way the US government uses and discards black artists is also sad. The film is patched together with the style and rhythm of bebop jazz artists interspersed throughout the documentary. The film is generally an entertaining and effective direction of colonialism. But it does have flaws. It's too long, apparently paired down from an even longer film. And while the film is right to include Khrushchev and Castro because they attracted both African leaders and African American's inligenciA. But the failure to put these figures without even hinting at their own hypocrisy undercuts the moral weight of the film. Yet the film is still well worth watching for its wide-ranging take on Western colonialism and innovative structure.

Two and a half hours an not a moment of boredom. The story (or stories) it tells are amazing, the punches to the gut are well-spaced out, like a boxer wearing down his/her opponent until the final KO. Maybe the best music documentary ever? Certainly one of the most substantial. May only regret is not having time to note down all the books whose titles flashed up on screen in accompaniment of the many quotations, like on-screen footnotes. All in all, a wonderful film which unfortunatley I will never forget.

That was the review, but more words are required. This was at the San Sebastian International Festival. Big screen is beswt, I reckon, because it will force you to concentrate.

Thanks to all concerned in the making of this film.