PopScandals is a two part journey in time through the juiciest, dirtiest and hottest pop scandals of the last 60 years! Whether naked truths, jarring stage performances or accidental slip ups, PopScandals shows what shocked respectable citizens and the conservative establishment and left the youth rejoicing. From the stuffiness of the 50s when a pelvic thrust or flash of a breast was enough to stir up a storm, to the age of social media, where staged scandals have become an integral part of pop culture. Using the big stars as an example, PopScandals tells of what was needed at which point in time to create a legendary scandal, or to avoid one. PopScandals makes it noticeable and possible to experience the technological development and commercialization of the “scandal machine” the media have created, having become a scandal in itself.
Soulpower
Given that soul has always developed under very particular socio-economic conditions and that the historical background is charged with a topicality that remains significant to this day, the music story will be told within both a historical and political context. In so doing, Soulpower unites a period that spans from the end of the Second World War to the new millennium. From race music to Rihanna. From Bo Diddley to Beyoncé. From Aretha to Adele. From Al Green to Alicia Keys. A thrillingly told, groovy documentary series presenting the big names, the music, the conflicts and the attitude to life of the past 60 years and allows them to resonate.
Peace ‘n’ Pop
From the anti Vietnam protests up to the struggle for civil rights, and Yoko Ono´s and John Lennon´s “Bed Peace”. The resistance of Britain´s music establishment against the Falkland war, and pop culture´s reaction on the “War on Terror“ – This two-part documentary tells the story of the pacifistic inflections in western pop culture.
Exclusive interviews and music by o.a. Pink, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Dixie Chicks, Asaf Avidan, Joshua Redman, Nneka, The Avener, La Canaille, Ed Sheeran. Ken Follett, Hanif Kureishi, Nitin Sawhney, New Model Army and many more.
Daniel Hope: The Secrets of the Violin
There is faking and haggling, lying and betrayal in THE SECRETS OF THE VIOLIN. It is all about a lot of money. Fans pay up to 20 million euros for one of such rare instruments of Antonio Stradivari (1644 – 1737) or Giuseppe Guarneri, also known as ‘del Gesu’ (1698 – 1744). Violins, violas and cellos are supposed to be the most beautiful instruments in the world – perfectly constructed, sought-after and very expensive. No wonder they attract the most glamorous personalities: kings, famous violinists, millionaires, Russian oligarchs, serious dealers in art but also many fraudsters and swindlers. Star violinist Daniel Hope knows this scene like no one else. Together with him, we enjoy an exciting endeavour, as we discover the world of the super-rich collectors and world-famous violinists as well as the secrets and the history of string-instruments. (Length: 3 x 30′ // 1 x 60′)
London Calling
London Calling tells the untold story of British pop through the prism of related artforms, revealing how photographic imagery defined the medium, the phenomenal influence of art schools and fashion, the scene’s love/hate affair with cinema and the pivotal role of the starmakers and svengalis who invented the rules of the modern music industry as they went along. London Calling cracks the creative code underpinning the irresistible rise of British pop. The 4-part series from award-winning music TV veterans Hannes Rossacher and Simon Witter. Episode 1: Fuck Art Let’s Dance – Episode 2: Every Picture Tells A Story – Episode 3: You Wear It Well – Episode 4: Master Of Puppets.
Sound of the Sidewalks
You can find them standing in walkways, in front of bars or in the Paris metro, playing rock music, classical, Latin American or Caribbean rhythms on the world’s largest public stage: the street. This series is dedicated to street musicians in Europe ‘on the road’ with artists of life, dropouts, and virtuosos. Some of the résumés that can be discovered here are incredible, touching, and yet written by life. Whether getting up in the morning in Paris in search of a suitable location for the next performance, in dispute with the local authorities in Cologne or on nightly strolls through the lonely streets of Amsterdam, the camera is always there, allowing the audience to participate in the lives of these artists of life.
J.S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio – Ballet by John Neumeier
“Rejoice, exult” – John Neumeier turns Bach’s Christmas Oratorio into an experience that confronts us all with the most basic questions of trust, hope, faith, doubt and self-sacrifice: “My choreography is not a religious undertaking. We perform to Bach’s music, for a few hours unifying individuals of many different cultural and religious backgrounds. For me, the basic human values expressed through the choreography are always the most important thing. Therefore, in my ballet, Mary is known simply as ‘the Mother’ and Joseph as ‘her Husband’.” “Once again it is impossible not to be impressed by the flawless technique of the ensemble … When at the end Lloyd Riggins tap-dances his way across the stage like Fred Astaire, the Christmas Oratorio is complete” (Süddeutsche Zeitung).
Welcome to the Eigthies!
Welcome to the 80s – This 6 x 52min music documentary is a unique production showing a fascinating musical journey through the 80s featuring all the facets of this exciting area: Synthiepop & New Romantic, Charts, Clips & Commerce, Rap, Breakdance & Graffiti, House Nation & Acid Parties, Gothic, Industrial & Black Metal.
John Williams & Steven Spielberg – The Adventure Continues
A documentary by Laurent Bouzereau including new interviews with Steven Spielberg and John Williams! Over the 90-year history of sound film, there have been a handful of instances where a director and a composer have formed a longtime partnership that resulted in a series of classical scores, creating music that stands the test of time. None, however, have been as long or as fruitful as the 43-year collaboration of Steven Spielberg and John Williams. None have encompassed such a wide range of subject matter or, more significantly, have had such an enormous impact on worldwide popular culture. From the ominous shark signature of Jaws to the five-note alien greeting of Close Encounters of the Third Kind; from the heroic march of Raiders of the Lost Ark to the moving themes for Schindler’s List the music Williams has written for more than two dozen Spielberg projects has not only served them brilliantly but entered the wider public consciousness.
Bienvenido Gustavo!
“Red Carpet Special” of Gustavo Dudamel’s Inaugural Concert as musical director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.