Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
Jazz and decolonization are intertwined in a powerful narrative that recounts one of the tensest episodes of the Cold War. In 1960, the UN became the stage for a political earthquake as the struggle for independence in the Congo put the world on high alert. The newly independent nation faced its first coup d'état, orchestrated by Western forces and Belgium, which were reluctant to relinquish control over their resource-rich former colony. The US tried to divert attention by sending jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to the African continent. In 1961, Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba was brutally assassinated, silencing a key voice in the fight against colonialism; his death was facilitated by Belgian and CIA operatives. Musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach took action, denouncing imperialism and structural racism. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev intensified his criticism of the US, highlighting the racial barriers that characterized American society.
- Year: 2024
- Country: Belgium, France, Netherlands
- Genre: Documentary, History
- Studio: Onomatopee Films, Warboys Films, Zap-O-Matik, ZKM Karlsruhe, BALDR, RTBF, VRT
- Keyword: central intelligence agency (cia), war crimes, cold war, congo, coup d'etat, belgium, fidel castro, genocide, united nations, american embassy, u.s. embassy, 1960s, ex-cia agent, katanga conflict, malcom x, democratic republic of the congo, eisenhower, belgian air force, dag hammarskjöld, cia agent, u.n. secretary general, congo war, patrice lumumba, cia officer, max roach, cia crimes, cia war crimes, usa war crimes, belgian war crimes, nato war crimes, operation gladio, nikita khrushchev, abbey lincoln, cia operatives, louis armstrong, patrice lumumba is brutally assassinated, patrice lumumba brutal assassination, cia brutal assassination, cia brutal murders, belgian brutal murders, general mobutu, joseph-désiré mobutu, mobutu war crimes, mobutu's bandits, brutally tortured their prisoners, journalists bought executions, nato operation, nato involvement, eisenhower war crimes, moïse tshombe, moïse tshombe war crimes, katanga mine, american ambassador, american ambassador involved, american embassy involved, belgian colonizers, american and belgian colonizers, american colonizers, ussr presents resolution to end colonialism, resolution to end colonialism, death to colonial slavery, u.n. general assembly, declaration against colonialism, declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples, general assembly resolution 1514, dag hammarskjöld murder, u.n. resolution 929, u.n. only observes, costs $2 billion per month, maurice mpolo, joseph okito, belgian military, paramilitary personnel and mercenaries not with the un, foreign military, andree blouin, in koli jean bofane, allen dulles, allen dulles cia director, cia a crime syndicate, south african mercenary
- Director: Johan Grimonprez
- Cast: Patrice Lumumba, Louis Armstrong, Nikita Khrushchev, Dizzy Gillespie, Andrée Blouin, Abbey Lincoln
