Pass The Popcorn: The 14 Most Exciting Films To Come Out of Sundance 2014
14.Finding Fela
The recent resurgence of interest in Fela Kuti has come to the big screen: on the heels of the Tony Award-winning broadway show FELA!, the re-release of Fela Kuti’s entire music catalog, and the annual Felabration celebrations across the country (and world) comes Finding Fela – a documentary directed by Academy Award-winning Alex Gibney and produced by Jigsaw Productions, Okayplayer, Okayafrica, and Knitting Factory Entertainment. Premiering at Sundance to a sold-out theater (Okayafrica in the house!), Finding Fela follows the cast of FELA! as they go to Lagos to perform the musical for the Kuti family at the The Shrine. Interweaving original vintage footage (including the brilliant sequence of Fela’s funeral attended by millions), the musical, mesmerizing performances, and interviews with the family, Gibney illuminates the discovery process of who Fela Kuti really is, his legacy, and the impact he’s made on millions of Nigerians. With cameos from ?uestlove, Paul McCartney, Carlos Moore, and Femi, Yeni, and Seun Kuti, Gibney’s film reminds of all that music is indeed a weapon.
