Edition 24: 1–9 August, 2025

FUTURE IS SONIC: FILMS ON MUSIC

LIBERATION DAY

Norway, Latvia
2016 — 98' / Color

1

Synopsis

Under the loving but firm guidance of an old fan turned director and cultural diplomat, and to the surprise of a whole world, the ex-Yugoslavian now Slovenian cult band Laibach becomes the first rock group ever to perform in the fortress state of North Korea. Confronting strict ideology and cultural

differences, the band struggles to get their songs through the needle’s eye of censorship before they can be unleashed on an audience never before exposed to alternative rock’n’roll. Meanwhile, propaganda loudspeakers are being set up at the border between the two Koreas and a countdown to war is announced. The hills are alive… with the sound of music.

Official Trailer

Director Biography

Morten Traavik is a Norwegian director and artist working across a wide spectrum of artistic genres and international borders. Trained as theater director in Russia and Sweden, the notion of the world as a stage and identity as role play is never far away in his works, as well as a characteristically blurred distinction between art, activism and social issues. His beauty pageants for landmine survivors, Miss Landmine Angola (2008) and Miss Landmine Cambodia (2009) made headlines and fueled discussions across the world.

Uģis Olte is a Latvian director and editor who enjoys staying playful when dealing with serious subjects. Equipped with senses of a musician and a belief that dreams, myths and fairy-tales can be useful tools for telling any contemporary story, he has created numerous original TV formats, music videos, ads and also 3 short fiction films - The Red Spot, KK2678 and King Of The Wild Things. His efforts in documentary genre have resulted in two films - Stuck in Stikine (2007) and Double Aliens (2015), premiered at last year’s IDFA mid-length competition.

Director

Morten Traavik

Uģis Olte

Producer

Uldis Cekulis

Cinematographer

Sven-Erling Brusletto

Valdis Celmins

Editor

Gatis Belogrudovs

Uģis Olte

Music

Artis Dukalskis

Ernests Ansons

Official Film Website

http://www.liberationday.film/

Contact

Dogwoof
Ground Floor
19 - 23 Ironmonger Row
London, EC1V 3QN, UK
+44 020 7253 6244
[email protected]