The critically acclaimed, Oscar-nominated documentary “Soundtrack to a Coup d’État”, directed by Johan Grimonprez, uncovers a hidden chapter of Cold War history. In the late 1950s, jazz legends such as Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie toured Africa under the banner of peace and friendship while the concerts actually masked a secret CIA operation: Congolese politician and independence leader Patrice Lumumba was seen as a threat to the political interests of the USA and Kongo’s former colonialist Belgium; and so the two powers conspired to eliminate him.
The film traces the disturbing story behind his assassination, contrasting vibrant jazz with ruthless political intrigue. A crime veiled in music. A historical tragedy told through meticulously assembled archival footage.
Soundtrack to a Coup d’État is a documentary that lingers long after viewing—essential not only for jazz lovers, but for anyone interested in history and postcolonialism. (SiL)