Beats of the Heart: Roots Rock Reggae

White Riot

April 2020 •English

Exploring how punk influenced politics in late-1970s Britain, when a group of artists united to take on the National Front, armed only with a fanzine and a love of music.

The Harder They Come

September 1972 •English

Ivanhoe Martin arrives in Kingston, Jamaica, looking for work and, after some initial struggles, lands a recording contract as a reggae singer. He records his first song, "The Harder They Come," but after a bitter dispute with a manipulative producer named Hilton, soon finds himself resorting to petty crime in order to pay the bills. He deals marijuana, kills some abusive cops and earns local folk hero status. Meanwhile, his record is topping the charts.

Rockers

November 1979 •English

Horsemouth, a drummer living in a ghetto of Kingston, plans to make money selling records. After his prized motorcycle is stolen, his plans fall through and he's forced to adapt.

Promoe: Standard Bearer

June 2007 •English

"Standard Bearer" chronicles the recording of Swedish rapper Promoe's album "White Mans Burden". It features studio recordings from the making of the album in Kingston, Jamaica and Malmö Sweden. The documentary contains guest apperances by Capleton, Assasin, DaVille, Fantan Mojah, Lady Saw, Leeroy from Saïan Supa Crew and a flashback from the making of Looptroop's "Hurricane George" with Timbuktu, Chords and the DVSG family in 2004.

Reggae at the BBC

February 2011 •English

An archive celebration of great reggae performances filmed in the BBC Studios, drawn from programmes such as The Old Grey Whistle Test, Top of the Pops and Later... with Jools Holland, and featuring the likes of Bob Marley and the Wailers, Gregory Isaacs, Desmond Dekker, Burning Spear, Althea and Donna, Dennis Brown, Buju Banton and many more.

Urgh! A Music War

November 1981 •English

Urgh! A Music War is a British film released in 1982 featuring performances by punk rock, new wave, and post-punk acts, filmed in 1980. Among the artists featured in the movie are Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), Magazine, The Go-Go's, Toyah Willcox, The Fleshtones, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, X, XTC, Devo, The Cramps, Oingo Boingo, Dead Kennedys, Gary Numan, Klaus Nomi, Wall of Voodoo, Pere Ubu, Steel Pulse, Surf Punks, 999, UB40, Echo & the Bunnymen and The Police. These were many of the most popular groups on the New Wave scene; in keeping with the spirit of the scene, the film also features several less famous acts, and one completely obscure group, Invisible Sex, in what appears to be their only public performance.

Two Sevens Clash: Dread Meets Punk Rockers

April 2017 •English

Documentary about reggae music and culture in London in 1977. Filmed in Super 8 camera by Don Letts. With participation of Richard Branson, Neneh Cherry, Paul Cook, Sly Dunbar, Paul Weller, John Lydon, Joe Strummer, Siouxsie Sioux, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and others. Released in 2017.

Tryo, le concert des XXV ans à l'Accor Arena

December 2022 •French

Play It Loud! How Toronto Got Soul

December 2024 •English

In early 1960s Toronto, a white, Anglo-centric city, an underground music scene emerged from the Jamaican diaspora, led by newcomers like Jackie Mittoo, Wayne McGhie, and a young Jay Douglas. Battling racism and indifference, they left a lasting but underrecognized mark on Canadian music and culture. Nearly 60 years later, Jay Douglas still champions Jamaican music and is finally receiving long-overdue recognition. Play It Loud is a feature documentary that tells the little-known story of how Jamaican music became a vital, unlikely part of Canadian culture. It traces a cultural migration that made Canada a global hub for Jamaican music - celebrated abroad but overlooked at home. Told through the life and music of beloved singer Jay Douglas, born Clive Pinnock in rural Jamaica, the film follows his journey from teen performer to enduring icon.

Made in Jamaica

September 2006 •English

A powerful portrait of the leaders of the reggae music Movement, and how Reggae has become a worldwide phenomenon. The film showcases performances by the best Reggae and Dance Hall artists ever assembled. From their native ghetto to international fame, "Made in Jamaica" is the story of the artists who represent the Jamaican Dream.

The Punk Rock Movie

June 1978 •English

Documentary on the London punk-rock scene, circa '78

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Live In Dortmund Germany 1980

June 1980 •German

Forty years ago, Bob Marley embarked on a tour of Europe and the United States with The Wailers in support of their Uprising album. The 38-show excursion would be the last for the reggae icon, who succumbed to cancer on May 11, 1981. Marley & The Wailers brought the run to Dortmund, Germany on June 13, 1980 and the concert was filmed for the German live music television program Rockpalast.

Lucky Dube Live in Concert

January 1993 •English

This 90 minute concert of Lucky Dube was recorded 1993 in South Africa. Setlist: 1. Feel It, 2. The Hand That Giveth, 3. Natural Man, 4. Back To My Roots, 5. I've Got You Babe, 6. Together As One, 7. Prisoner, 8. House Of Exile, 9. Dracula, 10. It's Not Easy, 11. Reggae Strong, 12. Don't Cry, 13. War And Crime, 14. Remember Me, 15. Truth In The World

World of Skinhead

March 1995 •English

Straight out of This is England! Or was it the other other way round? Never mind, now a classic, World of Skinhead seeks out the roots of skinhead culture - from Detroit to Bergen, from Glasgow to Berlin, honouring its true spirit.

Reggae ambassadors 100% reggae français

September 2018 •French

I Am the Gorgon: Bunny 'Striker' Lee and the Roots of Reggae

November 2013 •English

This feature length documentary charts the story of the great Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee. A legend himself, there’s not a lot of pioneers of roots and reggae that he didn’t work with, becoming the go-to producer for that dub sound coming out of Jamaica in the sixties and seventies, further cementing his legacy when he started licensing his productions straight to London labels. Diggory Kenrick’s doco calls on not only Lee himself to tell the story, but features the likes of U Roy, Dennis Alcapone, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Sly and Robbie, Johnny Clarke and Johnny Holt among others.

Bob Marley: Uprising Live!

June 1980 •English

The Uprising Tour was Bob Marley's last tour before his tragic early death in May 1981. Marley's energetic, charismatic performance gives no indication that he was already ill with the cancer that would take his life less than a year later. This live show from Dortmund's Westfalenhalle was filmed for the famous German music TV series Rockpalast on June 13th 1980, featuring Bob Marley on superb form. Expertly delivering a set of hit singles and classic album tracks, Marley's energetic, charismatic performance includes I Shot The Sheriff, Get Up, Stand Up and No Woman, No Cry and the film has been substantially restored to a high level.

Dreadtown: The Steel Pulse Story

Invalid date •English

They have raged on for forty years, cutting a swath across continents and lighting the fuse of revolutionary thought. From the pressure-cooker ghettos of England to the mighty gates of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, one band has forged an enduring legacy. This is their story.

Bullwackie

September 1985 •English

Founded in the Bronx by Jamaican expat Lloyd ‘Bullwackie’ Barnes in 1976, Wackie’s take on dub and reggae was nothing if not distinctive. Idiosyncratic by nature, and textually lo-fi by necessity, this unique mojo long served as the label’s de facto sonic aesthetic. A protégé of Prince Buster, and a former engineer at Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle label, Barnes’ touch can be felt across dozens of records including sides from Wayne Jarrett, Sugar Minott, Prince Douglas, Horace Andy, Love Joys, and fellow producer, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. Released in 1981, the following hour-long documentary, Bullwackie In New York, provides a priceless snapshot of the independent label and the culture surrounding it. Live performances, interviews, studio footage and more.

Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story

June 2024 •English

For decades the iconic track “Bam Bam” has been a sampled darling within the music industry, creating many new stars along the way. But what do we know of its legendary creator? From Kingston to the world, witness the transcendent stylings and legacy of Sister Nancy.