Revolutionary songs
“Just a revolutionary song”: this became its slogan/synopsis well before the Picture Book by Jean Luc Godard was completed and has not changed since. In the symbolic field, what can be more effective than a song if we are in a revolutionary sate? We have chosen a number of films to witness the diversity of the modes of appearance, the presence and generally the modes and the tropes pertaining to the presentation of revolutionary songs in cinema. First the genetic films, reflecting on the birth and the itinerary of the songs: a crucial manual for this genre Joe Hill (Bo Widerberg, 1981); a majestic militant essay The Cry of Jazz (Edward O. Bland, 1959), experimental sound researches conducted by Colette Magny in the course of her itinerary as resumed by Yves-Marie Mahé, a humble work of an exiled militant narrated in My Weapon (Thierry Naikuriyo, 2018).
Then the activists films, raising their song in the moment of the fight, as a visual equivalent of their music: Len Lye has focused his experimental visual research on a song which metaphorically talks about the anxiety of a black slave escaping lunching (Color Cry, 1953); the dangerous melancholy of the International played under the dictatorship in Brazil in Acorde Maior (José Inacio Parente, 1984); a collaborative work between the film maker and the workers on strike Which side are you on? (Ken Loach, 1985); calls for insurrection My Projects are Going to Crack (Jean Francois Richet, 1997), which is under the inspiration of 1793 Constitution, the most revolutionary of all.
Finally the films inspired by percussions, which transform commemoration to prospection, a mythopoetic echo of past cries which aim to pass them to the future, praying that it creates its own time: thus the aptly called A Song from the Fu- ture (Tommaso Donati, 2017), an overview of the songs of the Carnation revolution sparked off by «Grândola Vila Morena» is encapsulated in 25 Canções de Abril (Luís Gaspar, 1977), extended to Instruções para um grito permanente created by João Tabarra especially for the 9th Avant Garde Athens Film festival, and whom we thank with all our heart. The song of revolution irrigates cinema in all its forms, allowing it to antagonize it with its energizing genius.
Nicole Brenez (Translated by Maria Komninos) Special thanks to Lucas Murari and to Lucas Parente

The Cry of Jazz
The Cry of Jazz Ντοκιμαντέρ / Documentary, ΗΠΑ / USA, 1959, 35′, 35mm, Ασπρόμαυρο / Black and White, Με ήχο … Read more →

Now
Now Πειραματικό / Experimental Κούβα / Cuba, 1965, 6’, Video, Ασπρόμαυρο / Black & White, Με ήχο / Sound Σκηνοθεσία … Read more →

Color Cry
Color Cry Πειραματικό / Experimental Νέα Ζηλανδία / New Zealand, 1953 3′, 16mm, Έγχρ. / Color Με ήχο / Sound … Read more →

The Devil
The Devil Πειραματικό Ντοκιμαντέρ / Experimental Documentary Γαλλία / France, 2012, 7′, DCP, 4:3, Ασπρόμαυρο / Black & White Με … Read more →

Sleep Now in the Fire
Sleep Now in the Fire Μουσικό βίντεο / Music video, ΗΠΑ / USA, 1999, 4’ DCP, Έγχρ. / Color, Με … Read more →

Which Side Are You On?
Which Side Are You On? Songs, Poems and Experiences of the Miners’ Strike, 1984 Ντοκιμαντέρ / Documentary Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο / … Read more →

Joe Hill
Joe Hill Μυθοπλασία / Fiction Σουηδία, ΗΠΑ / Sweden, USA, 1971, 118′, DCP, Έγχρ. / Color, Με ήχο / Sound, … Read more →

My Projects are Going to Crack
Ma 6-T va crack-er Μυθοπλασία / Fiction Γαλλία / France, 1997, 105′ 35mm, Έγχρ. / Color, Με ήχο / Sound … Read more →

Rodhia 4/8
Rodhia 4/8 Πειραματικό / Experimental Γαλλία / France, 1969, 4’, DCP, Aσπρόμαυρο / Black & White, Με ήχο / Sound, … Read more →

A Song from the Future
A Song from the Future Ντοκιμαντέρ / Documentary Ελβετία / Switzerland, 2017, 17′ MP4, Έγχρ. / Color, Με ήχο / … Read more →

Colette Magny’s Political Son
Πειραματικό / Experimental Γαλλία / France, 2017, 32′, MP4 Εγχρ. / Color, Με ήχο / Sound Γαλλικά / French Σκηνοθεσία … Read more →

My Weapon
Mon arme Ελληνική Πρεμιέρα / Greek Premiere Ντοκιμαντέρ / Documentary Γαλλία / France, 2018, 8′, MP4, ‘Eγχρ. /Color, Με ήχο … Read more →

Major Scale
Acorde Maior Πειραματικό Ντοκιμαντέρ / Experimental Documentary Βραζιλία / Brazil, 1984, 4′, 35mm, Έγχρ. / Color, Με ήχο / Sound … Read more →

Revolution
Revolução Πειραματικό Ντοκιμαντέρ / Experimental Documentary Πορτογαλία / Portugal, 1975, 11′, Digi Beta, Έγχρ. / Color, Mε ήχο / Sound … Read more →

25 Songs of April
25 Canções de Abril Ντοκιμαντέρ / Documentary, Πορτογαλία / Portugal, 1977, 57′ 16mm, Ασπρόμαυρο / Black & White, Με ήχο … Read more →

Instructions for a Permanent Scream
Instruções para um grito permanente Παγκόσμια Πρεμιέρα / World Premiere Μικρού μήκους / Short, Πορτογαλία / Portugal, 2018, 31′, DCP, … Read more →

Joe Hill [R]
Joe Hill Μυθοπλασία / Fiction Σουηδία, ΗΠΑ / Sweden, USA, 1971, 118′, DCP, Έγχρ. / Color, Με ήχο / Sound, … Read more →