Plenty of Music at CPH:DOX 2025
CPH:DOX is in full swing, revealing the amazing documentary films, events, talks, and concerts that await at this year's festival, taking place from March 19 to 30. Today, the focus is on the world of music; this year’s program is packed with exciting films, musicians, and music culture—enhanced by unique live experiences you won’t want to miss. Audiences can look forward to documentaries about Madonna and Jeff Buckley, as well as well-known Danish names like TV-2 and Zar Paulo, who also have a place in this year's lineup.
Friday 21st Feb 2025
“Music has always been a huge part of CPH:DOX. Our music film section, SOUND & VISION, has been around since the festival’s very beginning in 2003, and it’s the go-to place for music lovers. I’m incredibly proud of this year’s program and thrilled that we’ve secured documentaries on John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s chaotic early years in New York, Jeff Buckley’s all-too-short life, Madonna’s youth, Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s groundbreaking hip-hop, and Pavement’s ’90s indie nostalgia. I can’t wait to welcome audiences to the many events we’re creating around these screenings,” says Adam Thorsmark, Head of Music Programming at CPH:DOX.
But music isn’t just something you’ll experience on the big screen—we’re also hosting a series of concerts, often in connection with film screenings.
Zar Paulo will perform an intimate mini-concert following the premiere of the first three episodes of Elendig Software at Bremen on March 29 at 20:00, followed by a DJ afterparty at Kolme.
Niels Skousen will give an acoustic mini-concert at the premiere of Herfra hvor vi står – 80 år med Niels Skousen at Dagmar on March 23 at 17:00, accompanied by guitarists Kristoffer Munck Mortensen and Anders Mathiasen.
Melodi Ghazal and several other Iranian musicians will perform their own songs and Googoosh interpretations in connection with the documentary Googoosh – Made of Fire at Social Cinema, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, on March 21 at 20:30.
Thomas Bach, lead singer of Ganger, will present the documentary Kærestebreve fra Thy, exploring his complex family history. After the screening, there will be a Q&A, an acoustic performance by the band, and a DJ afterparty hosted by Ganger at Bremen Teater on March 24 at 20:00.
Music performance, film, and talk on March 21 at 17:00 at Social Cinema, based on the documentary Væk er ingen steder. The event includes a live performance by the film’s directors and musicians Katinka Fogh Vindelev (soprano) and Louise Gorm (violinist), followed by a talk featuring Armenian documentarian and photographer Nazik Armenakyan, Katinka, Louise, and others.
Warren Ellis will visit Bremen Teater for screenings of Ellis Park on March 26 and 27, followed by a mini-concert and talk.
Den Sorte Skole will close the festival at Bremen Teater with an exclusive audiovisual world premiere of their new concert film and album Ghosts & Robots. There will be two performances on March 30 at 17:30 and 20:30, with a conversation about the making of the work beforehand.
Youth Editorial Events:
The young punk band CHÆK will perform at Stefanskirken alongside the screening of Girls & Gods on March 29 at 19:00.
With the event Syria in Focus, the youth editorial team presents a concert with the Syrian-Palestinian group OUD AND VOICE, along with documentary screenings and talks on Syria’s current political situation.
Pavement Tribute Night: On March 24 at Bremen Teater, after the screening of Pavement, a one-time-only Pavement tribute band will perform, featuring musicians from Barbro, School of X, Snuggle, A Good Year, Baby in Vain, Liss, MØ, and Soleima.
Film in the Sound and Vision programme
The Sound of Love Letters
The frontman of the successful Danish band Ganger writes an album based on his parents' love letters, while rewriting his own life story in a charming and musical tale from the Danish West Coast.
Ellis Park
Charismatic composer Warren Ellis invites us into his personal universe where he runs a shelter for endangered animals in Sumatra when he is inventing new sounds with his violin and synthesizer.
Pavements
Slacker heroes Pavement are back in a creative and kaleidoscopic meta-musical with as many layers as there are grooves in a record - directed with love by Alex Ross Perry.
a stranger in the world
A filmmaker and his son with autism. A composer and his musical work inspired by the slow processes of dripstone caves. Two parallel love stories.
Becoming Madonna
Pop lovers unite! The story of ‘the material girl's stratospheric leap to fame is told in riveting fashion through unseen and unheard archive clips and interviews.
Cosmic Balance
Hour-long musical trance sessions lead a young man from a small Indonesian village to his first concert outside the city limits at a music festival in Denmark. A cosmic film about music, spirituality and heritage.
Disco’s Revenge
From resistance to dancefloor, and from Studio 54 to 'Saturday Night Fever': Disco is an ever-evolving movement.
Forever We Are Young
K-pop's biggest group BTS and their global army of loyal superfans finally get the film they deserve. An epic and captivating journey around the world in the biggest fan culture of the 21st century.
From Here Where We Stand – 80 years with Niels Skousen
The popular Danish songwriter is lovingly portrayed by his wife and film director Linda Wendel in a film that spans six decades in the service of music.
Googoosh – Made of Fire
Hope never fades in the resistance story about Iran's greatest pop icon: The incomparable singer and activist Googoosh, who makes an unexpected comeback after 20 years under house arrest.
Legacy
The incredible, hardboppin’ story of when Scandinavia became the creative haven for black American jazz stars - told by their children who, for better or worse, still live with their fathers' life choices.
Nobody’s Angel
The five women in the Danish band Miss B. Haven rocked the 1980s at a time when men still had a monopoly on rock, but where a new movement was taking shape.
Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys
The true story of the mad, brilliant rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard from the legendary Wu-Tang Clan, who was swallowed by the industry and left the world too soon.
One to One: John & Yoko
A lively and compelling account of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's first year in New York. A year of political and cultural turmoil culminating in Lennon’s only solo concert.
Pauline Black: A 2-Tone Story
The absolute frontwoman of the 2-Tone movement is a British style icon with a strong political stance and the voice to get it out into the world.
It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley
Although Jeff Buckley only released one album before his tragic death, the man and his music are brought back to life for a while in a new and breathtaking film.
TV-2: Kys det satans liv
Irony is reined in and truths are revealed in a warm and openhearted film about Denmark's oldest (and in their own words most boring) band.
Zar Paulo
A unique taste of a playful and brand new series about the Danish pop rock success Zar Paulo.
Rave
Techno and rave culture had its own breakthrough in Eastern Europe in the early 90s, when the world suddenly opened up and a whole new scene emerged from the Cold War.
Concerts during CPH:DOX
Pavement-tribute (film & concert)
We pay tribute to slacker heroes Pavement in Pavement with a screening of the creative and kaleidoscopic film about the band with as many layers as there are grooves in a record. Afterwards, we've put together a Pavement tribute band with musicians from Barbro, School of X, Baby in Vain, Liss, MØ and Soleima!
Ganger (film, talk, mini-concert & afterparty)
Join us for the world premiere of 'Kærestebreve fra Thy', a film about Gangers lead singer Thomas Bach and his complex family history. Afterwards there will be a Q&A and a small acoustic performance and a dj-afterparty from Ganger!
‘A Stranger in the World’ with choir performance
After the screening, we fill the chambers of Cisterne with voices and singing when the chamber choir Musica will perform the music from the film.
‘A Stranger in the World’ with choir performance
After the screening, we fill the chambers of Cisterne with voices and singing when the chamber choir Musica will perform the music from the film.
Warren Ellis ‘Ellis Park’ (film, talk and mini concert)
Nick Cave's regular writing partner Warren Ellis visits CPH:DOX for an exclusive three-pronged rocket: Screening of the film 'Ellis Park' about his music and animal activism, followed by a conversation and mini-concert with the star himself!
Ghosts & Robots – live film concert og album-release with Den Sorte Skole
We round off this year's festival at Bremen Teater with an exclusive, audiovisual live performance of Den Sorte Skole's new concert film and album 'Ghosts & Robots'. Before there will be a conversation with the band.
Ghosts & Robots – live film concert og album-release with Den Sorte Skole
We round off this year's festival at Bremen Teater with an exclusive, audiovisual live performance of Den Sorte Skole's new concert film and album 'Ghosts & Robots'. Before there will be a conversation with the band.
Niels Skousen (film + acoustic mini concert)
Join us for an exclusive acoustic mini-concert with the beloved songsmith after he has been lovingly scrutinized by wife and film director Linda Wendel in a portrait film that spans six decades of music.
TALK + CONCERT: Jazzhistory and diasporic musictraditions
Dive into music's legacy with Karen Mukupa and Jamil GS - in conversation with moderator Jennifer Tonndorff. Enjoy a miniconcert with Karen Mukupa after the talkk
Punk & preach! Film: ‘Girls & Gods’ + concert: CHÆK at Stefanskirken
Experience an evening where punk and preaching meet. Punk priest Thomas Høg Nørager opens Stefanskirken for the screening of 'Girls & Gods' and a punk concert with CHÆK. An evening where feminism and faith collide in a boundary-pushing encounter.
Warren Ellis (film, talk and mini concert) – EXTRA SHOW
Nick Cave's regular writing partner Warren Ellis visits CPH:DOX for an exclusive three-pronged rocket: Screening of the film 'Ellis Park' about his music and animal activism, followed by a conversation and mini-concert with the star himself!
Zar Paulo (series, talk, mini concert & afterpary)
Join us for the preview of the first three episodes of the series 'Elendigt Software' about the Danish pop rock band Zar Paulo, followed by a talk and an intimate mini-concert. Finally: Afterparty in Kolme Bar with the band behind the dj-booth!
Gone is Nowhere – film, performance og talk
The music film work explores the innate inner dissonance of generational trauma in a documentary and performative treatment of the movement, elongation and fragmentation of escape.