Nominated for the Oscar for best documentary, Johan Grimonprez uniquely pulls history out from under the bell jar in Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat. The intrigues behind the 1960 Congo crisis are unravelled with a compelling mix of music and archive footage. Opening with the rousing rolls of jazz drummer Max Roach, the film continues its journey through political intrigue, CIA operations and the ambiguous role of African-American musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Nina Simone.

With sharp analysis, rhythmically edited images and the narrative voice of writer In Koli Jean Bofane, Grimonprez penetratingly manages to show how (neo)colonialism, the Cold War and the US civil rights struggle merged into one bloody chapter of history. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat is not only a fascinating reconstruction, but also a warning: history repeats itself, often in new disguises.

In cooperation with Vredeshuis Aalst