MSPIFF 2015: A music-lover's guide

Every year the Minneapolis - St. Paul International Film Festival proves an A-list event to match any of the largest festivals in the world. This year, along with many great films, there are a number of scheduled events for conversation and musical experimentation that may appeal to the classical music appreciator. What should you see this year?

First off, there are a couple of scheduled panels that look to be worth the time of anyone who cares about composed music and how it works in film.

Panel: Music For Motion Pictures (Sunday, April 12, 4:00 p.m.)

This panel is billing itself straightforwardly. It's about music in film: "the creation of music from an underscore composer's perspective, music sourcing and placement, the legal structures of music publishing and licensing, the roles and responsibilities of a music supervisor, the recent connection between music and sound design and much more" according to the description, with panelists who are professionals in the field.

Party: Music Meets Film (Sunday, April 12 at 9:00 p.m.)

After the panel you should head on over to the Third Bird restaurant, where the festival is throwing a party called "Music Meets Film." Lynn O'Brien and Steven Hobert will be helping bring together musicians and composers in what the fest is billing "an evening of jazz, filmmakers, cocktails and conversation."

Minnesota-Made Music Videos

A number of local music videos will be screened Saturday night at the Amsterdam Bar & Hall in St. Paul as part of the Minnesota Music Summit. The event will also feature live performances by Chastity Brown, MaLLy, and other local artists.

If panels and parties are not your cup of tea, then look to the films. This year's festival has an impressive schedule; here are just a few of particular note for both stories and music.

Crescendo: The Power of Music

The simple premise of this film is that "music can change the world." Following three kids — two in West Philadelphia and one in Harlem — the film demonstrates the reach of El Sistema, the Venezuelan youth orchestra program that has been helping disadvantaged children for 40 years. In the U.S. the three subjects of the film participate in inspired programs and learn how music can change their lives. Before you see the film, read Matt Beckmann's essay on El Sistema, and listen to an interview with Kelly Carter of El Sistema Minnesota.

Magicarena

Ever wanted to see behind the curtain of your favorite production? Now is an opportunity: Magicarena provides a unique glimpse at producing Verdi's Aida at Italy's Verona Arena, produced by the Spanish avant-garde theater troupe Fura dels Baus.

Beyond the Divide

For local music fans, this is an especially great treat as the Minnesota-made feature film also provides a rare glimpse of Chris Koza the film composer. Go out and share in some Minnesota pride as well as appreciate what looks to be a really important documentary. Before you go, listen to Chris Koza perform last fall in our studios, and read The Current's behind-the-scenes look at Koza's recent tour.

The Okee Dokee Brothers' Through the Woods: An Appalachian Adventure

This short film follows Minnesota's Okee Dokee Brothers, who have won a Grammy for their children's music, down the Appalachian Trail — complete with "educational segments, camping shenanigans, music videos, interviews, and pristine nature scenes."

Cheatin'

Animated films have gained prominence recently as more than children's films. With a score by Nicole Renaud, Cheatin' examines themes of love and jealousy.

The Connection

In the mood for a crime drama reminiscent of the great Hollywood films of the '70s? You're in luck with The Connection, which stars the great Jean Dujardin from The Artist as real-life Marseilles magistrate Pierre Michel working to bring down the French Connection, which was the most notorious drug smuggling operation in history. The score is provided by Guillaume Roussel — whose work you have heard, as he has been part of some of the biggest (and smallest) films and television series of the last few years: among them La Vie en Rose, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Crossing Lines.

Decor

This film has all the makings of a truly unique experience. It's a tale about the slippage between the stories we create and the stories we live, featuring a new score by Khaled Al Kammar. At every festival there are those films you may never have an opportunity to see in a theater again, and this may very well be one of those at MSPIFF.

The End of the Tour

This is one of the most notable selections of the festival, having screened at this year's Sundance Film Festival and already secured distribution. The film is about the last stages of David Foster Wallace's book tour for Infinite Jest — which also brought him through the Twin Cities, where The End of the Tour was partially filmed. The film features great talents Jason Segal, Jesse Eisenberg, and Joan Cusack as well as a new score from the impressive Danny Elfman, whose work of late has the veteran artist reaching new stages of composition.

I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story

Who doesn't love Big Bird — and couldn't stand to learn a little more about the person in the suit? This film also brings us another score from the rising talent Joshua Johnson, who has been working steadily as a composer of documentary cinema while also lending his abilities to larger feature films such as The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and the TV series Crisis.

In Order of Disappearance

Another notable thriller featuring the iconic Stellan Skarsgard, this film also features a score credited to three composers: Brian Batz, Kaspar Kaae, and Kare Vestrheim. Typically multi-crediting can be a mixed bag with composers being brought in to fix what an initial artist could not do, but there are also instances — like the recent Foxcatcher — where having multiple composers on a project led to a unique result. With this narrative being one of personal journey of a father finding his son's killer, tinged with a certain dark comedy, it may very be a highlight of the festival.

Madame Bovary

This version of Gustave Flaubert's masterwork is notable, and being justifiably promoted, for having a female director providing a unique vision with the incredible Mia Wasikowska playing Emma. The music for this iteration is by the collaborative team Evgueni Galperine and Sacha Galperine, who are really making their mark with films like The Past.

Slow West

Any film with Michael Fassbender is worth putting on a to-see list, and this film is no exception. This is the Minnesota premiere and brings us not only the first feature film outing of its director — John Maclean, who has been a musician for many years — but provides another rich score from Jed Kurzel whose hit from last year, The Babadook, is still invading eardrums.

Garrett Tiedemann is a writer, filmmaker and composer who owns the multimedia lab CyNar Pictures and its record label American Residue Records.

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