Posted on August 17, 2022

A roaring audience, a single spotlight and entering centre stage is CIFF's 2022 Music on Screen Lineup! 

A wholehearted celebration of both music and film, this year's music on-screen selections are something you have to hear to believe. From re-emerging musical legends and fed-up rock and rollers to fearless musical activists, these films are a living testament to the power of music.

Let yourself be swept away by the musical stylings of our film's featured artists and experience the songs that best encompass their spirit.

UNIVERSAL SOLDIER | BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE: CARRY IT ON

UJA | EVER DEADLY

Co-directed by Tagaq and award-winning filmmaker Chelsea McMullan, EVER DEADLY weaves together intimate concert footage from ground-breaking, Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq. UJA is the most popular track from her award-winning, 2014 album ANIMISM. The album won the 2014 Polaris Music Prize and the Juno Award for Aboriginal Album of the Year. This record is more consciously political than her earlier work, as evidenced by this stunning music video in which she juxtaposes images of urban and rural settings, blood, police, money and animals.

TUBTHUMPING | I GET KNOCKED DOWN

In this punk version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Chumbawamba frontman, Dunstan Bruce, is haunted by the antagonistic ghost of his anarchist past. I GET KNOCKED DOWN is a personal voyage of reawakening and redemption as well as a call to action, inviting you to take activism into your own hands. In this doc, Bruce searches his past for his long-lost anarchist mojo; what better place to start than with the song that put Chumbawamba on the map?

BEST OF YOU | LET THERE BE DRUMS!

After the Grateful Dead's 50th Anniversary concert tour in 2015, filmmaker Justin Kreutzmann (son of Grateful Dead drummer, Bill Kreutzmann) realized that he and his dad could finally forge a relationship outside of the band's shadow. Inspired, Justin sat down with the world's greatest drummers in the hopes of understanding his father and the instrument that defined his life. With contributions from Ringo Starr, Stewart Copeland, Chad Smith, Jason Bonham, Steven Adler and Taylor Hawkins, LET THERE BE DRUMS is a joyous and emotional ode to drummers and the people who love them. In honour of the late, great, Foo Fighter's drummer, Taylor Hawkins, check out his unbelievable fills and triples in BEST OF YOU, the lead single from Foo Fighters’ album IN YOUR HONOUR.

BRING MY FLOWERS NOW | THE RETURN OF TANYA TUCKER: FEATURING BRANDI CARLILE

Decades after Tanya slipped from the spotlight, six-time Grammy® Award-winning singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile takes it upon herself to write an entire album for her hero based on Tanya’s extraordinary life, spurring the greatest comeback in country music history. This performance by the aforementioned musical titans is nothing short of stunning, featuring the grammy winning song that marked Tucker's triumphant return, BRING MY FLOWERS NOW.

YER BLUES | REVIVAL69: THE CONCERT THAT ROCKED THE WORLD

With a lineup that included Little Richard, The Doors and Alice Cooper, Revival was expected to be a can't-miss event. But, when ticket sales unexpectedly fizzled, resulting in a near cancellation, promoter John Brower threw out a Hail Mary. At the 11th hour, he invited John Lennon to perform. Astonishingly, he said yes. Transport yourself directly to that legendary day in 1969 with the legendary, first-ever performance of John Lennon and The Plastic Onos. Delight in this faithful documentation of the legends on stage, the mavericks behind the scenes and the audience who witnessed history in the making.

SALOME | SIRENS

Headstrong 23-year-old guitarist Lilas Mayassi lives with her mom and younger brother on the outskirts of Beirut. By day, Lilas teaches music to kids. By night, she’s trying to lead her thrash metal band, Slave to Sirens, which is the first all-women thrash death metal band from Lebanon. Check out the ripping first single off their upcoming album, SALOME!

STILL A G THANG| TAKE ME TO THE RIVER: NEW ORLEANS

The awe-inspiring TAKE ME TO THE RIVER: NEW ORLEANS is a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the bayou and a legendary showcase of amazing music, featuring performances from artists like The Neville Brothers Ani Difranco, Jon Batiste, Snoop Dogg and many more. Snoop Dogg in particular has a very interesting history with New Orleans. Following the tragic murders of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G, who were both signed to Suge Knight's Death Row Records, Snoop, fearing for his own life, signed with a New Orleans label, No Limit Records, run by Master P. While at No Limit, Snoop released his third studio album, DA GAME IS TO BE SOLD, NOT TO BE TOLD. STILL A G THANG is the album's lead single. This certified hit made in New Orleans marked his triumphant  return to the Billboard Hot 100 after four years.

Asheq Tar | AND STILL I SING

AFGHAN STAR is Afghanistan's hugely successful version of AMERICAN IDOL. Since its inception, the show has had exclusively male winners. Then, in 2019 Zahra Elham threw her hat in the ring. Award-winning Afghan-Canadian filmmaker, Fazila Amiri, follows the three women as they navigate the difficult journey of achieving success in a land where women are not encouraged to succeed. For your listening pleasure, here is the performance that led to Elham's historic AFGHAN STAR win.