Chords of Fame

Karen Dalton: In My Own Time

October 2021 •English

Blues and folk singer Karen Dalton was a prominent figure in 1960s New York. Idolized by Bob Dylan and Nick Cave, Karen discarded the traditional trappings of success and led an unconventional life until her early death. Since most images of Karen have been lost or destroyed, the film uses Karen's dulcet melodies and interviews with loved ones to build a rich portrait of this singular woman and her hauntingly beautiful voice.

Pete Seeger: The Power of Song

September 2007 •English

Interviews, archival footage and home movies are used to illustrate a social history of folk artists Pete Seeger.

Johnny Hoes: Och Was Ik Maar...

February 2008 •Dutch

Hasta el fin de Delfín

October 2018 •English

A few years ago the indigenous musician Delfín Quishpe uploaded a video clip on YouTube of his song Torres Gemelas without imagining the impact it would have. For some, the video was strange and in bad taste, however his charisma and his lyrics made him a celebrity. After ten years, Delfín still has not overcome the hangover of fame and now he struggles not to turn off the magic of his music, in a world of ephemeral stars in the digital age.

Woody Guthrie: Ain't Got No Home

July 2006 •English

Every American who has listened to the radio knows Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land." The music of the folk singer/songwriter has been recorded by everyone from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to U2. Originally blowing out of the Dust Bowl in Depression-era America, he blended vernacular, rural music and populism to give voice to millions of downtrodden citizens. Guthrie's music was politically leftist, uniquely patriotic and always inspirational.

Jag är inte beredd att dö än

November 2014 •Swedish

Jag är inte beredd att dö än (I'm Not Yet Ready to Die) is a documentary that follows Laleh Pourkarim—one of Sweden's most celebrated musicians—over two years time. Laleh takes pains to maintain her privacy in spite of her popularity. This film is a rare opportunity for fans to glimpse her daily life, from her hometown of Hammarkullen to settings abroad.

John Denver: Country Roads Live in England

January 1986 •English

Fans continue to treasure the songs and performances of John Denver, one of the most popular recording artists of the 20th century. Before his death in 1997, Denver toured the world, landing in Birmingham, England, for the 1986 concert captured here. The sunny country star provides heartfelt renditions of many of his biggest hits, including "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and "Sunshine on My Shoulders."

The Genius of Bert Jansch: Folk, Blues & Beyond

March 2014 •English

Interviews and rare archive footage weave together performances from a landmark multi-artist concert at the Royal Festival Hall in London, celebrating the songs and artistry of the great folk-blues troubadour Bert Jansch.

John Denver: Country Boy

November 2013 •English

This BBC documentary chronicles the life of folk/soft-rock singer John Denver through his rise with The Chad Mitchell Trio and Peter, Paul and Mary, his subsequent stardom, his popularity decline, and his tragic death at age 53.

Bob Dylan Live at the Newport Folk Festival - The Other Side of the Mirror

December 2007 •English

An unvarnished chronicle of Bob Dylan's metamorphosis from folk to rock musician via appearances at the Newport Folk Festival between 1963 and 1965.

Mica and Stories Around Her

June 2010 •Serbian

Milica Ostojic (aka Mica Trofrtaljka or Mica Davorika), a singer from Milicevci near Cacak (Serbia) by singing the song "Davorike, dajke" became a big star of new underground music in the seventies in former Yugoslavia. Forgotten for years, she returned to the scene in the film "Pretty Village, Pretty Flame", saying the historical sentence: "Shut up mate, erotica".

Mani Matter - Warum syt dir so truurig?

November 2002 •German

An intimate documentary about the life and times of Swiss poet and folk singer Mani Matter (1936-1972), seen from his friends' perspective.

Quietest Boy – The Lillebjørn Nilsen Story

December 2022 •Norwegian

A documentary portraying the life of Norwegian folk singer Lillebjørn Nilsen. Lillebjørn's talent brought him into the limelight as a shy 15-year-old. This is his own story about music, fame and an eternal longing for peace.

The Sfroos - Viaggio nella musica di Lombardia

January 2015 •Italian

Born to Sing

January 2001 •Panjabi

The film nostalgically traverses the unique tradition of the Punjab, in which the Mirasans cry on death, bring laughter at birth and marriage and bridge communities. Today, children of Mirasans are struggling to survive with dwindling patronage and are moving out from family space to public space.

Tanita Tikaram: AVO Session, Basel

November 2011 •English

In this intimate stage performance from 2011, Tanita Tikaram performs 13 of her songs in Basel, Switzerland: Cathedral Song, Wonderful Shadow, Little Sister Leaving Town, All Things to You, Good Tradition, Poor Cow, Valentine Heart, I Might Be Crying, Make the Day, Twist in My Sobriety, Dust on My Shoes, One Kiss, and As I Love You.

Bob Roberts

September 1992 •English

Millionaire conservative Bob Roberts launches an insurgent campaign against incumbent senator Brickley Paiste, firing up crowds at his rallies by singing '60s-style acoustic folk songs with lyrics espousing far-right conservative social and economic views.

A Mighty Wind

April 2003 •English

Three eclectic, never-quite-famous folk bands come together for the first time in decades following the death of their manager to put on an reunion concert in his honor, at the request of his son.

Joan Baez: The Fare Thee Well Tour 2018/2019

February 2019 •German

Joan Baez, the folk legend who was once Dylan’s lover, has called her final tour Fare Thee Well – perhaps because, like so many singers, she’s finding that goodbye is too hard a word.

Daddy's Son

January 2000 •Serbian

The Odyssey of director Radomir Belacevic who leaves his native village on his faithful horse named Knight and sets out to the capital trying to put his drama on the National Theatre's program, allegedly backed by foreign investors, too. Seduced by flashy lights of the city and beauty of metropolitan women, his Don Quixotean mission takes a different route and he becomes a modern Ulysses who forgets his roots and assimilates with the urban jungle.