Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat

In 1960, at the United Nations, the Global South triggers a political earthquake. Musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach crash the Security Council, while the United States sends jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to the Congo to divert attention from its first post-colonial African coup.
Director Johan Grimonprez captures the moment when African politics and American jazz collide in this stunning film essay a gripping historical roller coaster that sheds light on the political machinations leading to the assassination of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba in 1961. Richly illustrated with firsthand testimonies, government memos, mercenary and CIA accounts, Lumumba’s own speeches, and a true jazz pantheon, Soundtrack to a Coup d’État interrogates colonial history to tell an essential story that resonates more than ever in today’s geopolitical climate.

Official Selection – Oscars – 2025

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