History of Persian Music: From Shah To Khomeini(2024)

The Albion Band(en)

A rare 1979 BBC Arena documentary on the Albion Band, Ashley Hutchings and the development of English folk rock up to that time.

Planet Malek(fr)

Ahmed Malek’s name might have been forgotten by his fellow Algerians but his timeless tunes certainly haven’t. Called the Ennio Morricone of Algiers, he composed music for more than 200 movies, amongst which the most famous films of the Algerian New Wave in the 70s and the 80s can be found. Paloma Colombe, a DJ, digger and documentary director, went to Algiers to meet his daughter, friends and former coworkers. Images of the city by night offer a perfect background to Ahmed Malek’s music. Globetrotter, pioneer of electronic music and of the concept of the home studio, he created a unique sound that truly goes beyond genres and countries.

Raiz e Alma(pt)

La Grande Triple Alliance Internationale de l'Est(fr)

A shape-shifting, faceless, puny and paranoid organism, la Grande Triple Alliance Internationale de l'Est doesn't exist. In the early 2000s, a powerful flux of poisonous hermaphroditic cells was first spotted in the French cities of Metz and Strasbourg, before infecting large delimited areas of the western and eastern web. A.H. Kraken, Maria Violenza, Scorpion Violente, Noir Boy George, Les Morts vont bien, or SIDA are some of the backbone elements of this vertical 3 branched centipede who would have gladly left the organs of a worn-out counterculture at death's door, rather than knocking it with an ultimate electroshock. A bad taste joke, ephemeral in its core, rigorously immortal, the GTAIE continues to perpetrate its crimes, sometimes under the spotlight, always clandestinely.

Who Can See Forever(en)

WHO CAN SEE FOREVER is part concert film, part music documentary and part meditative examination of one of independent music’s most prolific singer-songwriters, Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam.

MEGUMI The Campaign(ja)

Megumi Odaka (小高恵美) idol VHS tape, Megumi the Campaign - Idol Roke Zenkoku Jyuudan, 1989. She is best known for the role of Miki Saegusa in six Godzilla films from 1989 to 1995.

Hardwicke Circus: The Prison Gig(en)

A short, low-budget documentary that follows a small jobbing band from the north of England called 'Hardwicke Circus' as they perform a gig and music workshop at 'Standford Hill HMP', a men's prison on the Isle of Sheppey in the south of England. Shot in Ben Archer's fly-on-the-wall 'gonzo' style of filmmaking and taken from the band's late-2019 tour of England's south coast, this documentary focuses on the joy of performance and music in an environment that does not often allow such expression. Bookended by short commentary from the band's lead singer Jonny Foster, 'Hardwicke Circus: The Prison Gig' is an uplifting ode to the power and necessity of art, even for those that society have deemed not to deserve it.

Amy Winehouse: The Day She Came to Dingle(en)

Back in 2006 on a stormy December night, Amy Winehouse flew to the remote, south western corner of Ireland to perform for Other Voices, an acclaimed Irish TV music series filmed in Dingle every winter. Amy took to the stage of Saint James's church, capacity 85, and wowed the small, packed crowd with a searing, acoustic set of songs from Back to Black. After leaving the stage, a relaxed and happy Amy spoke about her music and influences - Mahalia Jackson, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles and the Shangri-Las to name a few. Arena joined forces with Other Voices and went to Dingle to catch up with some of the people that Amy met on that day, including taxi driver Paddy Kennedy, her bass player Dale Davis and Rev Mairt Hanley of the Other Voices church. This film showcases not only Amy herself, but the musical geniuses that inspired her to forge her own jazz pop style.

NARC. Mini-Doc – Outside The Mainstream: The North East’s Alternative Scene(en)

The final episode in our Mini-Docs series comes from musician and writer Jake Anderson, who explores the niche music genres which find an increasing audience in the North East. On a mission to discover outside-the-mainstream sounds and the driving forces behind their creation, Jake chats with musicians Me Lost Me, SQUARMS and Mariam Rezaei, along with some of the major players keeping these sonically-engaging sound makers doing what they’re doing, including Simeon Soden from Kaneda Records and Lee Etherington of TUSK. This mini-documentary features reflections on some of the most unique acts in the North East, what genre boundaries actually mean and artists’ hopes for the future of the North East’s alternative scene. This is an Art Mouse film for NARC. TV, written and directed by Jake Anderson.

NARC. Mini-Doc – Combining The Arts: Spaces For All(en)

Lizzie Lovejoy’s mini-documentary explores the world of non-traditional performance spaces, especially in the Tees Valley and celebrating the fantastic work they do. Lizzie spoke to Bobby Benjamin, artist and curator of Pineapple Black in Middlesbrough, about the exciting range of work the gallery has housed over the past couple of years during festivals, exhibitions and events. And from Redcar Palace Art Gallery, director James Beighton and curator Beth Smith of Tees Valley Arts discuss how the venue is used to create works as well as share them, and why accessibility has become one of their main focuses. People connect to performance in different ways than visual art, but both can be incredibly powerful and influential. Using local creative spaces to pull both together highlights how fantastic our local cultural community really is. This is an Art Mouse film for NARC. TV, written and directed by Lizzie Lovejoy.

Beyond the Noise.(en)

An exploration into the benefits of music in uk youth culture. Understanding the comfort it can provide.

Echoes from the Bowl(en)

The Doors' legendary performance at the Hollywood Bowl remains a part of Rock and Roll history to this day. But the Bowl wasn't always so welcoming of rock music. Explore the history of the iconic venue and the artists who paved the way for The Doors to perform there.

Reworking The Doors(en)

We went back into The Doors' footage vault and restored the original concert film of their legendary Hollywood Bowl performance to high-definition video with a 5.1 stereo surround mix! Get a glimpse into the process of restoring the picture and sound.

You Had to Be There(en)

A collection of memorable stories from The Doors as well as friends who were present the night of their legendary 1968 appearance at the Hollywood Bowl - from long-held rumors to behind-the-scenes anecdotes.

Going Varsity in Mariachi(en)

In the competitive world of high school mariachi, the musicians from the South Texas borderlands reign supreme. Under the guidance of coach Abel Acuña, the teenage captains of Edinburg North High School’s acclaimed team must turn a shoestring budget and diverse crew of inexperienced musicians into state champions.

Jean Paul Gaultier fait son show(fr)

On the occasion of Jean Paul Gaultier's 40-year career and his show "Fashion Freak Show" at the Folies Bergère, France 2 has given carte blanche to the most famous French couturier of the world who has created for the first time a great show of varieties fully immersed in his universe. Jean Paul Gaultier who, in his childhood, dreamed while watching the variety shows of Maritie and Gilbert Carpentier, takes the reins of this great entertainment mixing music and fashion.

La española, la de Torres(es)

Documentary film which tells the story of the almost unknown creator of the current guitar, Antonio de Torres Jurado. Humble carpenter born in Almeria, Spain, in 1817, he achieved universal fame in mid 19th Century in Seville, changing the construction model for the national guitar schools and workshops all over the world and perpetuating it until nowadays.

Night Flight: Born Again(en)

Documentary tribute to what VH1 called “the single greatest rock omnibus program ever aired” and Brooklyn Vegan named “the most consistently weird and awesome thing on cable television in the ’80s.” This ‘Best Of’ episode features some of the most memorable moments of Night Flight's near-decade long run including restored interviews and segments from Kate Bush, New Wave Theatre, David Lynch, Prince, Wendy O Williams, Divine, Billy Idol, Johnny Rotten, and much more Night Flight treasures from the archive.

Mika Nakashima The First Tour 2003 Live & Document(ja)

Concert film and documentary from Mika Nakashima's First Tour 2003 performed on February 23, 2003 at Zepp Tokyo.

Mai Kuraki & Experience First Live Tour 2001 ETERNAL MOMENT(ja)

Live concert documentary that was filmed during her "Sokenbicha Natural Breeze 2001 Happy Live" tour. In addition to the live show, it contains extensive backstage and behind-the-scenes footage. It also includes live perfomrance fragments from the 6 venues throughout Japan of her first tour.