This 17e edition of the international musical film festival Rock this town has its flashy name: Peter Doherty. The British rockstar is announced in show case on Saturday April 27, during a documentary on his life “Peter Doherty: stranger in my own skin”. The event is sold out with more than 400 places gone in less than 24 hours.
Beyond this headliner, Méliès and its numerous partners bring together around thirty guests and screen 34 films as part of the festival which takes place from April 27 to May 5. As usual, the event often offers “very committed films which evoke societal subjects, colorful journeys and characters”, explains Xavier Le Fahler, the festival programmer.
British rockstar Pete Doherty will be in showcase on April 27.
AFP
This is the case, for example, of the documentary “Little Richard: I’m everything” by Lisa Cortes on the black queer origins of rock’n’roll. Another film in competition, by director Aaron Trinder, traces the history of the Free Party. “Our job is to go and find new films all over the world,” says the programmer of arthouse cinema. “It’s not about offering the latest biopic on Bob Marley or Amy Winehouse.”
Joan Baez, Sanseverino and Omara
The public will instead be treated to the performances of British DJ Fatboy slim, Sanseverino, Joan Baez, or Afro-Cuban music icon Omara Portuondo. Both screenings are French premieres, which is also one of the specificities of the festival. In this discovery of cultures, from Senegalese hip-hop artists (“Feneen”) to a telecrochet in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime (“And still I sing”), many musical styles (electro, jazz, metal, country, pop , folk etc) are explored.
Nine works are presented in competition. This year, the jury is made up of filmmaker and screenwriter David Perrault, organizer and programmer of the In-edit festival Johannes Klein, journalist Aurore Durand-Mirouze, former Méliès programmer Vicentia Aholoukpé, and Benjamin Barouh .
Erik Truffaz and Breaking Bad
Film music will be celebrated with renowned trumpeter Erik Truffaz. The musician released two opuses in 2023 as a jazz homage to the 7th art, covering Nino Rota, Ennio Morricone, Philippe Sarde… Two concerts are planned for Monday April 29 and Tuesday April 30, at 8 p.m. On Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., as part of International Jazz Day, a meeting is organized with Erik Truffaz, actress Sandrine Bonnaire and director Nicolas Boualami (1).
Jean-Christophe Chartre/South West
The 2024 edition of the Rock This Town festival was presented by programmer Xavier Le Fahler and his partners at Meliès.
In addition to a program for young audiences, a film concert will be dedicated on Sunday May 5 at 4:45 p.m. to the Breaking Bad series. The very well-known episode of La Mouche (episode 10 of season 3) will be set to music by Benoit Gaucher and Yohan Landry. The single price is 8 euros.
Other evenings will take place outside the Foirail, with a concert by Adolf Hibou at the Forge moderne or 69DB at the Route du son (1). Another highlight, the Centrifugeuse on Thursday May 2 welcomes the electro pop artist Kabeaushé.
The record fair, a now established event, is being held again on Sunday May 5. The event is growing under the Billère hall with nearly 80 stands to find what you’re looking for among vinyls, CDs, cassettes, derivative products of all styles.
(1) Complete program and more information on rockthistown-pau.fr
Prices: full, 8.30 euros, reduced between 4.80 euros and 6.70 euros, five-seater pass card 33.50 euros.
