about cinema
Movie History: The Next Generation by Mark Cousins
A decade ago, Irish film critic and filmmaker Mark Cousins released a monumental 15‑hour series, History of Cinema: An Odyssey, tracing cinema from its earliest days through the dawn of the 21st century. The project returns with a sequel focused on the 2010s—an era marked by new technologies, shifting gender narratives, and a pandemic that redefined how cinema is made, distributed, and consumed as the decade drew to a close.
Kubrick, about Kubrick, Gregory Monro
An exploration built from the director’s conversations with film critic Michel Seaman, one of the rare voices who could coax Kubrick to speak. The piece blends archival footage and fresh interviews to illuminate the man behind the camera and his approach to making art under intense scrutiny.
We Were Kids, Eddie Martin
A look at the lives of young actors who starred in Larry Clark’s cult debut Kids, now reflecting on a shared moment of fame and a future shaped by hardship. The film follows their paths as they navigated the aftermath of that breakthrough, including the losses that accompanied rapid notoriety.
about music
Italo Disco: The Brilliant Sound of the ’80s, Alessandro Melazzini
A vivid tour through the Italian dance movement of the 1980s. The filmmaker, a self-taught documentarian, traces a trail from Jamaica’s ska roots to pop icons, revealing how a distinct European energy reshaped global club culture.
Look at Me: XXXTentacion, Morning Folayan
A portrait of Jacey Onfroy, who rose from a SoundCloud teen to a worldwide star by 17 and whose life was cut short at 20. The documentary relies on archival material and conversations with XXXTentacion’s family and friends to tell the artist’s story in his own words.
Freaks on the Stage: The Story of Dinosaur Jr., Philipp Reichenheim
Former music video director turned chronicler, Dinosaur Jr. offers an intimate look at the era’s alt-rock pioneers. Reichenheim draws out candid moments from band members, revealing how it all began and how the story continues, even amid interruptions.
Charlie XCX: Alone Together, Bradley Bell and Pablo Jones-Soler
A record of the covid era experiments by pop star Charlie XCX, who transformed isolation into art by recording a home album with real-time fan involvement. Visuals contributed by the singer are interwoven with production by Bell and Jones-Soler, who have worked with major artists around the world.
About Miscellaneous
Atlantis, Yuri Ankarani
Yuri Ancarani, an Italian artist blending documentary and experimental cinema, presents a study of youth on a small island near the Venetian lagoon. The film captures the languid heat of summer, the rhythm of motorboats, loud music, and a carefree, restless spirit—moments when youth feels limitless.
Jane Through Charlotte’s Eyes, Charlotte Gainsbourg
A docudrama marking Gainsbourg’s directorial debut, in which she engages with her mother, Jane Birkin, through intimate conversation and shared memories that illuminate their artistic bond.
Cow, Andrea Arnold
Arnold’s intimate documentary follows the life of a single English cow named Luma over four years. The film explores daily routines, animal life, and environmental dynamics, offering a moving meditation on a creature’s simple, ordinary existence.
<p Mary Quant: Mini‑Revolution, Sadie Frost
A biographical portrait of Mary Quant, the designer who in the 1960s popularized the miniskirt and bold, playful fashion that redefined youth culture and style in Britain.
Bonus: hits from past years
B‑Movie: Noise and Fury in West Berlin, Jörg A. Hoppe, Heiko Lange and Klaus Meck
A visual diary of British expat Mark Reeder’s experiences in West Berlin during the late 1970s, tracing the city’s transformation from post‑punk into the techno era with clubs, nightlife, and bold experimentation at the forefront.
PJ Harvey: A Dog Called Money, Seamus Murphy
The singer and artist PJ Harvey travels to Afghanistan, Kosovo, and the United States with photojournalist Seamus Murphy, recording a new album during a period of intense global change, documented through intimate images and performance moments.
Rave in Iran, Suzanne Moyers
Among Beat Film Festival highlights, Moyers examines underground techno and party culture in a country where such scenes face censorship, offering a powerful look at resilience and expression in restricted contexts.
Skate Kitchen, Crystal Moselle
A coming‑of‑age drama about a group of New York skater girls that inspired a broader TV continuation, capturing friendships, ambition, and the urban pulse of a city in motion.
See the full schedule and events of Beat Film Festival 2022 on the festival’s official page.