36/32
Jazz and decolonization are intertwined in this historic roller coaster that rewrites the Cold War episode that led musicians Abbie Lincoln and Max Roach to crash the UN Security Council to protest the assassination of Patrice Lumumba. Watched it at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. I understand the main goals and importance of what the documentary is trying to explore and tell. While there are some great graphic designs, conversations and visuals, the 2 hour and 30 minute running time feels unwarranted and the structure of the documentary seems disjointed. Many of the topics covered are interesting, in particular, the topics of jazz, decolonization and conflicts between countries. I liked some of the musical sound solutions and some of the discussions involved. But I found that I could not fully invest in the story, because it seemed to me that the director was creating a situation in which style was more important than content. Where some aspects seem undercooked and a bit lacking, and too much attention is paid to technical aspects. At 2 hours 30 minutes, the documentary feels too stretched to be fully satisfying. All in all, good intentions, but not for me.