"Beats of Freedom" Wins in Finland

The fourth edition of MusiXine, the international film festival for music documentaries, closed last Saturday in the Finnish town of Oulu. With nine titles screening in competition, the winner of the Best Film award was the Polish documentary Beats of Freedom. Zew wolności (Beats of Freedom), focused on the early days of rock music in Poland.

The competition of the MusiXine festival, which ran in the Finnish town of Oulu from March 17 to 19,  featured a selection of films that varied greatly in subject matter: from the history of Brit-pop, to the birth of reggae, to contemporary Japanese music. The festival lineup included the Polish film Beats of Freedom by Wojciech Słota and Leszek Gnoiński. It was this film that ultimately received the festival’s grand prize.

MusiXine jury members:  Margarita Jimeno, New York-based director and screenwriter; Petri Varis, Rokumentti festival producer in Joensuu, Finland; and Janne Nyyssönen, journalist and music critic, justified their decision in the following words:

“Beats of Freedom is an inspiring and important film, with an energetic account of the fall of communism, and the rise of music as a powerful source of creativity to combat oppression. The directors Wojciech Slota and Leszek Gnoiński crafted an impressive film incorporating great use of archival material, sound, music, and new interviews. Reminding us of the recent political events, this film speaks to a contemporary audience regardless of age, or background, and that music can be more than a product. A must have soundtrack for any music lover.”

Source: www.polishdocs.pl.

Translated by Karolina Kołtun