UMGC in Europe Presents: Screened History: SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D’ETAT

UMGC in Europe Presents: Screened History: Global Pasts in Francophone Films Festival series

Screened History is a film series curated by UMGC Professor Dr. Michael Mulvey consisting of 6 films that challenge viewers to think about complicated and diverse pasts. The festival reflects on how francophone filmmakers intentionally construct pasts and make arguments about the past for audiences. How do filmmakers educate viewers via staging, authenticity claims, and archival evidence about pasts? The festival includes documentary formats and fictionalized dramaturgies, allowing audiences to consider how filmmakers visualize historical narratives. The proposed films deal with complex issues from slavery and resistance to colonization and decolonization.

This series is presented in partnership with the Albertine Cinémathèque 2025–2026 Film Festival season. Albertine Cinémathèque is part of the French For All initiative by Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education, and the Albertine Foundation, with support from the Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée (CNC).

Tickets: This no-cost event is hosted by the University of Maryland Global Campus in Europe and is open to anyone with access to Ramstein Air Base. Tickets are limited.
To guarantee your seats, please RSVP using the link below before 1700 on the day of the film, and plan to arrive at the theater at least 10 minutes before showtime.

Title: Soundtrack to a Coupe D’Etat

Time: Thursday, 5 March at 1830

Location: Reel-Time Theaters, Ramstein Main Exchange

Trailer: https://youtu.be/_RwLdIiZk_8?si=2VtFCAHYty4YiyPm

Summary:

United Nations, 1960: the Global South ignites a political earthquake, jazz musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach crash the Security Council, Nikita Khrushchev bangs his shoe, and the U.S State Department swings into action, sending jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to the Congo. Director Johan Grimonprez explores a moment when jazz, colonialism, and espionage collided, constructing a riveting historical rollercoaster that illuminates the political machinations behind the 1961 assassination of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba. Sundance award winner Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat interrogates colonial history to tell an urgent and timely story that resonates more than ever in today’s geopolitical climate.

For questions, please contact Dr. Michael Mulvey at Michael.Mulvey@umgc.edu .

RSVP Link: https://forms.office.com/r/KKKaPjB0kT

Opinions expressed through films are solely those of filmmakers and do not express the views or opinions of the university, faculty, or staff. Films are shown for educational commentary, criticism, and discussion, and should not be construed as factual or definitive information on any subject matter.

All of us have unique life experiences. The film festival reflects on specific filmmaking questions. Films deal with potentially distressing material, including violence. If you believe that you will find film content upsetting, choose not to participate in the screening.

Any child under 17 requires an accompanying parent or guardian over the age of 25. Films are not necessarily harmful for young viewers, but demanding in terms of content and contextualization.