Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat (2024)

Name: Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
Genre: Documentary, History, Music
Released: 2024
Duration: 150 min
Rating: 7.7
Cast: Patrice Lumumba, Louis Armstrong, Nikita Khrushchev, Dizzy Gillespie, Andrée Blouin

2h 30m Belgium, France, Netherlands

Documentary History Music

Plot

Jazz and the struggle for independence intertwine in a gripping exploration of a pivotal Cold War moment. In 1960, the UN became a battleground of political tension as the Congo fought for autonomy, facing an imminent coup backed by Western and Belgian interests unwilling to let go of their resource-rich territory. Meanwhile, the U.S. attempted to shift focus by dispatching jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to Africa. The assassination of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba in 1961 marked a tragic turning point, as artists Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach boldly condemned imperialism, while Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev attacked American racial injustices.

Cast

Patrice Lumumba Louis Armstrong Nikita Khrushchev Dizzy Gillespie Andrée Blouin Abbey Lincoln Max Roach Malcolm X Nina Simone John Coltrane Duke Ellington Miriam Makeba Conor Cruise O’Brien Dwight D. Eisenhower René Magritte