Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat poster

Documentary History

2h 30m

Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat (2024)

Overview

Jazz and decolonization are intertwined in a powerful narrative that recounts one of the tensest episodes of the Cold War. In 1960, the UN became the stage for a political earthquake as the struggle for independence in the Congo put the world on high alert. The newly independent nation faced its first coup d'état, orchestrated by Western forces and Belgium, which were reluctant to relinquish control over their resource-rich former colony. The US tried to divert attention by sending jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to the African continent. In 1961, Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba was brutally assassinated, silencing a key voice in the fight against colonialism; his death was facilitated by Belgian and CIA operatives. Musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach took action, denouncing imperialism and structural racism. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev intensified his criticism of the US, highlighting the racial barriers that characterized American society.

72%

Johan Grimonprez

Director

Cast

Patrice Lumumba

Self (archive footage)

Louis Armstrong

Self (archive footage)

Nikita Khrushchev

Self (archive footage)

Dizzy Gillespie

Self (archive footage)

Andrée Blouin

Self (archive footage)

Abbey Lincoln

Self (archive footage)

Max Roach

Self (archive footage)

Malcolm X

Self (archive footage)

Nina Simone

Self (archive footage)

John Coltrane

Self (archive footage)

Duke Ellington

Self (archive footage)

Miriam Makeba

Self (archive footage)

Patrice Lumumba

Self (archive footage)

Louis Armstrong

Self (archive footage)

Nikita Khrushchev

Self (archive footage)

Dizzy Gillespie

Self (archive footage)

Andrée Blouin

Self (archive footage)

Abbey Lincoln

Self (archive footage)

Max Roach

Self (archive footage)

Malcolm X

Self (archive footage)

Nina Simone

Self (archive footage)

John Coltrane

Self (archive footage)

Duke Ellington

Self (archive footage)

Miriam Makeba

Self (archive footage)

Extra

Release Date

September 11, 2024

Original Language

English, Arabic, French, Spanish

Budget

$0.00

Production Company

Available On

You can visit JustWatch for more information.

Videos

A Conversation with SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D’ETAT Director and Writer Johan Grimonprez thumbnail

Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat – Official Trailer thumbnail

Images

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