@radical.media premieres Joe Berlinger’s ‘Under African Skies’ at Sydney Film Festival on June 8

In the film Under African Skies, Berlinger (Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, Paradise Lost, Brother’s Keeper, Crude) captures Simon reuniting with the South African musicians whose work became the heartbeat of Graceland and preparing for a 25th anniversary concert.

This is done through a series of interviews with Simon and such musical legends as Quincy Jones, Harry Belafonte, Paul McCartney and David Byrne- who measure the breadth of Graceland’s musical, political and cultural impact.

Each man has his own passionate reasons, and without taking sides, Berlinger allows the audience to see all angles and come to their own conclusions- even as the music triggered indignation and exultation comes to life again.

Berlinger says of the film’s open-ended exploration: “This is a film that doesn’t smash a particular POV over the audience’s head – and I think it is interesting that Paul Simon allowed that kind of film to be made. Some people might walk away feeling Paul made the wrong decision 25 years ago, while I think many others might come away feeling it was more complex – that is was worth the controversy to have musicians from opposite worlds finally able to share, as Paul says, ‘the deep truth that artists speak.’ Either way, what is remarkable is that apartheid now lies in the past, yet the music lives on as a great achievement. The power of the music is that it is still bringing people together.”

Under African Skies is directed by Joe Berlinger and produced by Berlinger, Jon Kamen and Justin Wilkes..

Under African Skies is being screened as part of the Sydney Film Festival at Event Cinemas on Friday 8 June, 630pm.