Soundtrack to a Coup d'État
In 1960, sixteen newly independent African countries enter the United Nations: a political earthquake that shifts the majority vote from the colonial powers to the global south. Congo becomes the arena in which the battle over the UN is fought.
As Nikita Khrushchev pounds his shoe at the UN top in reaction to the neocolonial grab of the resources of the newly independent Congo, UN delegates from African Countries are blackmailed. In an incredulous twist, Patrice Lumumba’s assassination unites the Afro-Asian block, demanding the UN General Assembly to vote for immediate worldwide decolonisation.
"A vibrant, jazz-led history lesson on colonial machinations in the Congo" - David Opie, IndieWire
"[The] music presents a kind of commentary on Lumumba’s struggle and defeat but, in Grimonprez’s telling, has a tragic dimension of its own" - Sam Davies, Sight and Sound
We are bringing this staff & audience favourite back in our excitement about the up and coming Leeds Jazz Festival 2026.
Cinema Africa! tickets come with the special offer 4 for the price of 3, or 14 for the price of 10. The discount will be applied in the checkout process.
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Additional Information
Contact the venue for further information.