On Saturday, 27 January 2018 IFFR presents the world premiere of the documentary Milford Graves Full Mantis by Jake Meginsky and Neil Young. Following the screening, legendary free-jazz drummer Milford Graves himself will give a solo concert in LantarenVenster. The event is part of IFFR’s theme programme Pan-African Cinema Today (PACT).
Milford Graves, born in Queens, New York in 1941, left his mark on free jazz in the 1960s. He is regarded as a pioneer whose avant-garde music liberated percussion from its traditional timekeeping role. Over the years he has worked with Pharoah Sanders, Rashied Ali, Albert Ayler, Andrew Cyrille, Sun Ra, John Zorn and others.
Milford Graves Full Mantis is a poetic visual essay about the spiritual and philosophical roots of Graves’s music. Propelled by his own voice and beats, we are introduced to his life, way of working and countless sources of inspiration – always going back to the original source. A portrait of an exceptional musician and an engaging, fascinatingly eclectic mind.
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Still: Milford Graves Full Mantis
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Still: Milford Graves Full Mantis
PACT is IFFR’s theme programme zooming in on the history of Pan-Africanism as captured in film – from its origins as a visionary ideology for a post-colonial era to its current-day relevance. The programme consists of films, short films, a retrospective, talks, music, documentaries, a VR installation and an IFFR Live session in Harare.
The world premiere of Milford Graves Full Mantis will take place in LantarenVenster on Saturday, 27 January at 21:30 hours. Milford Graves’s subsequent solo concert lasts approximately 30 minutes. It is not possible to buy a ticket just for the concert.
This event is supported by Buma Cultuur. In the years ahead, IFFR will be collaborating closely with Buma Cultuur to highlight the special role of music in film.