Main programme  

In December 1969, legendary jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk ended his European concert tour with a performance at the Salle Pleyel in Paris. Before the show, he was invited to appear on a French television program to perform and answer questions in an intimate setting. Using newly discovered footage from this recording, director Alain Gomis reveals the disconnect between Monk and his interviewer, Henri Renaud, whose unwittingly trivializing approach conveys the casual racism and exploitation prevalent in the music industry at large. A fascinating behind-the-scenes documentary with extraordinary rarely-seen performances, offers a unique opportunity to see Monk in a way that very few people did.

Alain Gomis

Alain Gomis is a Senegalese-French film director and screenwriter whose work explores identity, the differences and bonds that define the relationship between francophone Africa and its diaspora. Founder of the Yennenga Center dedicated to cinema, Gomis plays an important role in the promotion of film and fostering of local talents in Senegal and Africa. His film Félicité was selected as the Senegalese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards. Rewind and Play is debut director’s documentary.

Awards

Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival – Best Mid-Lenght Documentary, 2022