Milford Graves Full Mantis

Milford Graves Full Mantis

Jake Meginsky, Neil Young / 2018 / US / 91min / documentary / English / Chinese subtitles

Asia Premiere

“A jazz movie in every sense of the word” –– Village Voice

“A small treasure for avant-garde fans” –– Hollywood Reporter

“You can get a lot of facts about Mr. Graves and his discography on the internet (and I recommend you do). This movie gives you, well, the man’s heart, and it’s a beautiful one.” –– New York Times

Film Festivals: SXSW, Rotterdam, Sheffield, CPH:DOX, INDIELISBOA

Percussionist Milford Graves is widely considered to be a founding pioneer in the early 1960s of avant-garde jazz or free jazz. He performed alongside the greats of that scene –– Pharoah Sanders, Albert Ayler, John Zorn –– promoting the use of irregular rhythms and helping to free drumming from the function of merely keeping time. He remains one of the most influential living figures of that era.

This film, which is as avant-garde and “jazz” as its subject, draws the viewer through the Graves’ lush garden, ornate home, the martial arts dojo in his backyard, and the laboratory in his basement –– all of this just blocks from where he grew up in the housing projects for South Jamaica, Queens. You will see Graves activate an electronic stethoscopes to digitally process the sound of his heart. You will travel with him to Japan to perform at a school for children with autism, igniting the student body into an ecstatic display of spontaneous collective energy. As you see these things, you will come to understand how Graves has redefined the fundamental essence of music, and how he has laid bare the connection between rhythm and the life itself.

特映會 SPECIAL FREE SCREENING:
5/11 (Sat/六) 18:00

播放地點 Screening Location
中正堂 @ C-LAB, Zhongzheng Hall
177, Sec 1, Jianguo S Rd, Taipei
台北市大安區建國南路一段177號

電影播放時間 Festival Screening Times:
5/23 (Thu/四) 21:40

播放地點 Screening Location
真善美戲院 WONDERFUL THEATER
7F #116 Hanzhong St, Wanhua District, Taipei
台北市萬華區漢中街116號7樓