Tue Aug 26 14:27:38 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**Kerala Film Fest Highlights Documentaries Exploring Music, Politics, and History**
**THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, August 26, 2025** – The 17th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) is captivating audiences with a diverse selection of documentaries, particularly within its “Soundscapes” package of music-related films.
One standout is Johan Grimonprez’s “Soundtrack to a Coup d’etat,” a compelling exploration of the intersection of jazz music, politics, and colonial history. The film meticulously chronicles Western influence in Congo, culminating in the CIA-backed assassination of Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba. Grimonprez uses a frenetic pace with archival footage and music to show jazz musicians were used, sometimes unknowingly, by the American establishment for a cultural conquest of Africa, to divert attention from imperialist actions. The film provides an extra dramatic touch to the story.
For Indian viewers, the film provides a refreshing watch of Jawaharlal Nehru and Krishna Menon making interventions on the world stage during the Non-Aligned Movement, when this is being erased from history.
Other notable documentaries in the package include Kevin Macdonald’s “One to One: John and Yoko,” which delves into the post-Beatles lives of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, highlighting the social and political activism and the backlash they faced for their positions. Michael Ogden’s “Becoming Madonna” offers a more nuanced portrayal of the pop icon, showcasing her unwavering support for the gay community and her refusal to abandon her ideals.
First Piper 