Turbulent lives of musicians that turn into movies, cinematic stories that unfold in the backdrop of the music industry, musicals, concerts filmed as if they were fiction films, music documentaries. A category of movies in which music and cinema are tangled in the best possible way.

Music & Film

Normal

An ambitious and multi-layered study of the concept of fame and pop culture that always gets reborn from its ashes, with original songs by Sia and the fearless Natalie Portman in the lead role.

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After a multiple-fatality school tragedy, a surviving student sings a song for her classmates and turns into a popstar overnight. Years later, she attempts to make a comeback that will bring her back to the top.

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Official Selection | Venice Film festival | 2018

Vox Lux

The tragic portrait of a charismatic, complex and unconventional woman who lived during conservative times. Everything is contained: Dailida’s grandeur, her glittering talent and natural glamour, her capacity to love passionately and completely and her constant, devastating brushes with death.

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The film chronicles the turbulent life of Dalida, the talented diva of European music, whose star continues to shine despite her tragic death in 1987. She was born in '33 in Cairo and performed her first concert at the Olympia Theatre in Paris in '56, while in the 70s she became the reigning queen of the disco scene. She was married to Lucien Morisse, but like many men in her life, he committed suicide. Dalida took several trips to India looking for inner peace, but was never able to find it.

Dalida

Music, love and resistance. Kirill Serebrennikov, the director who became a target for the Putin administration, delivers a riveting, torrential love story taking place in the Soviet Union’s underground rock scene in the ‘80s. Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival.

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The members of a Russian underground rock band in the 80’s experiment with a love triangle and with the limits of censorship in Soviet Russia. Trapped between their passion for music, seeking romantic desire and a change in the political scenery, they struggle to move beyond their humble concerts and become famous.

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International Competition | Cannes Film Festival 2018
Cannes Soundtrack Award | Cannes Film Festival 2018
International Competition | San Sebastián International Film Festival 2018

Summer

Through rare archival footage, unpublished recordings and audio documents, this documentary tells the story of Callas' unknown years - a story of triumph of will, talent and dedication, and at the same time a story of resistance to all difficulties and abuse.

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Upon her arrival in Athens in 1937, the young Kalogeropoulou was first introduced as Mary to her classmates at the National Conservatory, but she signed her first contract with the National Opera as Marianna. In March 1945 she appears in concert as Mary Callas, shortly before becoming famous across the globe as Maria Callas. The documentary focuses on the period of her personal and artistic coming of age in Athens, from 1937 to 1945, and the years after 1957, when she reconnected with Greece.

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Official Selection | Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival | 2024

Mary, Marianna, Maria – The Unsung Greek Years of Callas

Told through a contrapuntal narrative that moves backwards in time, La Ruta becomes a vibrant, emotional rave for a generation that got lost in the beat.
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A group of friends comes of age in a world of electronic music, wild euphoria, and underground melancholy, deep inside Spain’s club scene.

La Ruta

Those who love music more than gossip will appreciate Jim Jarmusch's simple and clear look back to the years of rock ‘n’ roll mythology, with Iggy Pop and his Stooges truthfully describing the inner workings of the industry, deconstructing an entire era.

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The story of The Stooges, one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands of all time, through a cultural, political, historical and musical prism. A story about their adventures, relationships, "exploits", reasons behind their success, musical inspirations, as well as the legacy they left in the music scene.

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Official Selection | Cannes Film Festival | 2016
Official Selection | San Sebastian International Film Festival | 2016

Gimme Danger

Based on a true story, this short film stands as a heartfelt tribute to a piece of living musical history that will sweep you away. Special Mention in Drama Short Film Festival for the remarkable young Sarantis Karagiannis.

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In the Greek countryside of the 1960s, a six-year-old Roma boy struggles against school bullying, an abusive father, and a racist society. His dream of becoming a musician seems impossible. Yet he refuses to give up until he fulfills it, and grows up to become a world-renowned clarinet virtuoso.

Golden Fingers

In one of the most touching and emotionally rich films of the decade, time goes back and forth, mixing passion, misfortunes, love at first sight and unbearable sorrow, under the rousing sounds of bluegrass music.

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Elise and Didier have shared 7 loving years, yet they miss their passionate beginnings, their early marriage and the happy days when Mabel first came into their lives. A complete cycle of happiness ends when Mabel is diagnosed with a serious illness. The sadness and fear for their young daughter inevitably takes them towards different directions.

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Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film | Oscars | 2014
Audience Award | Panorama Berlin International Film Festival | 2013
Lux Prize | European Audience Awards | 2013
Best Screenplay | Tribeca Film Festival | 2013

The Broken Circle Breakdown

Pantelis Voulgaris visualizes the iconic work of Manos Hadjidakis with a project that goes beyond the narrow boundaries of the documentary and reaches more the free performance - a free play of image and sound, on the unsurpassed compositions and lyrics of the great work.

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Magnus Eroticus is a series of ten love songs by Manos Hadjidakis with lyrics by Sappho, Elytis, Myrtiotissa, Sarantaris, Cavafy and others. In the film, the cinematographic lens translates the emotion from the sonic erotic atmosphere of the music, making a visual journey through Athens. Alongside the journey through the city, we follow the process of recording the songs in the studio, where even the film crew itself becomes part of the developments.

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Honorary Award for Cinematography | Thessaloniki Film Festival | 1973

The Great Love Songs

A catchy chorus, a charismatic singer, and a wildly improbable chain of events. These are the ingredients behind Spain’s victory at the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest and the inspiration for a thoroughly enjoyable Spanish miniseries that’s sure to get your twelve points.
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In 1968, an ambitious young man and an eccentric producer embarked on a quest to find the song that would represent Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of national television. What happened next went down in history.

The Song

Music. A passionate love affair. The bouzouki joints and the Greek countryside of the late 90s. Nikos Panagiotopoulos directs one of the most sensuous Greek films of all time, with one of the most beautiful soundtracks. Unforgettable.

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A young couple in love struggles for a better life, but Greece basically offers unemployment and scarce opportunities. He owns a small convenience store in Athens, while she wants to be a singer. When she decides to leave the city to start singing in dismal rural clubs, he soon follows after, along with a writer friend.

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Best Actress (Athina Maximou) | Thessaloniki Film Festival | 2000
Best Music | Thessaloniki Film Festival | 2000

Edge of Night

In addition to his legendary filmography, Sydney Pollack left us a great gift to be discovered years after his death. Aretha Franklin’s one-of-a-kind, electrified performance at a Los Angeles Baptist Church.

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In 1972 Sydney Pollack films Aretha Franklin’s legendary concert in a Los Angeles church, which turned into one of the most successful gospel albums of all time. Nearly fifty years later, this borderline supernatural performance becomes an instant classic music film, destined to forever preach the glorious gospel of soul.

Amazing Grace

In his third collaboration with his muse, Catherine Deneuve, following the emblematic Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Young Girls of Rochefort, Jacques Demy brings to screen a gorgeous, colorful and dark under its dazzlingly bright surface fairy tale by Charles Perrault.

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Once upon a time, in a magical and fairytale land, the King decides to marry his daughter, but she, with the help of a fairy godmother, will try to flee and escape the kingdom and the wedding.

Donkey Skin

Turn up the volume for a nostalgic rave party. Mia Hansen-Løve, inspired by her brother’s life, traces the birth of Daft Punk and the deep cuts that defined an era, capturing a generation that refuses to stop dancing - even when the music suddenly cuts out.

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Paris, the 1990s. French electronic music is on a rapid rise. In the heart of the city’s vibrant nightlife, Paul takes his first steps as a DJ. Together with his best friend, they form the duo “Cheers” and quickly find their audience. But it doesn’t take long before they’re swept up in a euphoric ascent to fame, plunged into a world of sex, drugs, and endless music.

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Official Selection | San Sebastián Film Festival | 2014

Eden

Is land overrated? Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso) once again showcases his unique gift for telling stories of the past that speak to everyone, crafting an unforgettable character without a home or family — a man who watches, learns, and drifts among travelers in a turbulent era.

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At the dawn of the 20th century, aboard an ocean liner, a shipworker discovers an abandoned infant left behind by immigrants and decides to raise him. The boy grows up hidden from the world, living his entire life at sea — a musical prodigy who has never set foot on land.

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Best Original Score | Golden Globes | 2000
Best European Cinematographer | European Film Awards | 1999

The Legend of 1900

In her ultimate rock directorial debut, Floria Sigismondi - best known for her hallucinatory music videos for artists like David Bowie - maps the genesis of the most groundbreaking female band of the '70s, in a film charged with teenage angst and an urgent search for identity.

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Cherie and Joan are two teenagers who dream of rock stardom, though they haven’t met yet. One night at a Los Angeles club, Joan and record producer Kim Fowley discover Cherie, hoping to form a groundbreaking all-girl band. With her home life in turmoil, Cherie quickly embraces the band as her new family - especially Joan, who becomes her creative partner-in-crime. The Runaways tells the true story of two troubled teenage girls whose raw talent and tough-chick image skyrocket them to fame.

The Runaways

Sex, drugs and Irish rap. A true tale of man's inner desire for identity and passion for life, the fictionalized version of the genesis of a radical Belfast band is transformed into a thrilling adventure that pulses with hip-hop rhythms. Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

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In post-Troubles Belfast, the turbulent rap trio KNEECAP emerge and set the stage for a revival of the Irish language against the establishment. The band members become political icons and give a defiant voice to Ireland's restless youth. As they struggle to make their mark on the world and the pressures of their families threaten to bring their dreams to an inglorious end, the trio weaves a narrative that transcends music.

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NEXT Audience Award | Sundance Film Festival | 2024

Kneecap

Featuring two outstanding performances from Paul Dano and John Cusack, who portray Wilson at different stages of his life, Bill Pohlad’s film is a deeply moving story about music, love, and the endurance of tenderness amidst madness.

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The legendary and deeply troubled journey of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, told across two periods in his life: the creative explosion of the 1960s and the psychological collapse of the 1980s.

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Nomination for Best Actor (Paul Dano) | Golden Globes | 2016

Love & Mercy

Contemporary maestro of comedy Richard Curtis, creator of Love Actually and About Time, delivers a delightful tribute to the art of radio broadcasting, showcasing Britain’s finest in both small and large roles.

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In 1960s Britain, the conservative BBC had banished rock music from its channel, prompting listeners to turn to pirate radio stations to get their essential musical fix. When the Government decides to hunt them down, the most popular pirate station - broadcasting literally from a pirate ship - defies prosecution, sails into international waters, and continues to hold high the banner of rock music.

The Boat That Rocked

How many documentaries have you seen on Greek radio? Using the history of Jazz fm - Athens as a vehicle, Meletis Moiras explores how a radio station changed the cultural fabric of a city in the 90s.

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When Jazz fm began, in 1991, the radio consisted of emotions and people with dreams instead of playlists and "ethereal" voices. It slowly began to air every night from 00:00 to 04:00 and after a year it was on air 24 hours a day. Jazz fm influenced the musicians, the venues that hosted them, the Greek jazz production, the press magazine and the conservatories. Diamonds in the Night Sky talks about the vision of 5-6 people who became part of thousands of peoples’ everyday life for 5.5 years.

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Official Selection | Thessaloniki Documentary Festival | 2019

Diamonds in the Night Sky 

The chronicle of a radical career change or a well-orchestrated farce? Whatever it really is, the film that Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck put together about the former's, alleged, retirement from acting is a furious, unruly and highly entertaining mockumentary (?).

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Just two years after receiving an Oscar nomination for his powerhouse performance as Johnny Cash in 'Walk the Line,' actor Joaquin Phoenix shocked show business by announcing his retirement from acting to pursue a career as a hip hop musician. 'I'm Still Here,' directed by Phoenix's brother-in-law and fellow actor Casey Affleck, tells the story of the star's life change.

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BiograFilm Award | Venice Film Festival | 2010

I'm Still Here

An explosive cocktail of geopolitics, jazz music and Cold War intrigue set against the backdrop of the Congo. Director and visual artist Johan Grimonprez composes a film that pulsates with music and cinematic energy. An intense political indictment of the ghosts of colonialism that still refuse to die.

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In 1960, the Jazz Hour broadcasts Louie Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie behind the Iron Curtain, while decolonization movements are taking hold in Africa and the civil rights struggle continues in the United States. In Congo, Patrice Lumumba, leader of the country's independence movements, becomes the first democratically elected Prime Minister. But corporate and colonial interests and machinations at the United Nations conspire to assassinate him.

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Jury Prize - Documentary Competition | Sundance Film Festival | 2024
Audience Award | Thessaloniki Documentary Festival | 2024
Official Selection | San Sebastian Film Festival | 2024

Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat

Jacques Demy's tribute to the classic American Musical, three years after his triumphus "The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg", is an audiovisual rainbow, full of color, beauty and the enchanting presence of brothers Catherine Deneuve and Francoise Dorleac.

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Two twin sisters who teach dance and music in the coastal town of Rochefort dream of romance and love in Paris. What they don’t know is that the upcoming summer festival taking place in their hometown will make their dreams come true.

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Nominated for Best Music Score | Oscars | 1969

The Young Girls of Rochefort

Nominated for 14 Oscars and winner of six, Damien Chazelle’s film revisits the myth of classic Hollywood and redefines it through a cinematic language overflowing with color, melody, and emotion.

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In a Los Angeles where song and dance burst to life at every turn, a musician and an aspiring actress fall into a dazzling romance as they each chase their dreams.

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Nomination for Best Film | Oscars | 2017
Best Director | Oscars | 2017
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Emma Stone) | Oscars | 2017
Nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Ryan Gosling) | Oscars | 2017
Best Cinematography | Oscars | 2017
Best Original Score | Oscars | 2017
Best Original Song | Oscars | 2017
Best Production Design | Oscars | 2017

La La Land

Something like "Whiplash" but with a choir instead of jazz, and the one and only Dustin Hoffman in the role of the strict and demanding conductor, a piece of beautiful and recognizable cinema that can strike our most sensitive chords at any moment.

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A 12-year-old boy who recently lost his parents ends up in a music boarding school, with his tuition paid for by an anonymous benefactor. No one expects this wild and lonely creature to make it into the Boychoir - a boy choir that travels the world maintaining the prestige of its school.