“The only system is a sound system and if I can’t dance to it, it’s not my revolution,” preaches one of the lead characters in Beats, the UK rave culture film executive-produced by Steven Soderbergh. Here is some first footage, which channels iconic movies such as Trainspotting and La Haine.
Set over summer 1994 in Scotland, the coming of age story follows two friends who jump headfirst into the free party scene before their lives take them in different directions. Soundtrack is curated by JD Twitch (Optimo) with tracks from The Prodigy, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, The Belleville Three, Carl Craig, Hudson Mohawke, Leftfield, Plastikman, LFO, Orbital and The Golden Filter.
Directed by Brian Welsh (Black Mirror) and written by Welsh and Kieran Hurley (based on Hurley’s play by the same name), the film stars newcomers Cristian Ortega and Lorn Macdonald alongside Laura Fraser (Breaking Bad), Brian Ferguson (Outlander), Ross Mann (Reverb), Gemma McElhinney (Outlaw King), Amy Mason (Born To Run) and Rachel Jackson (The Party’s Just Beginning). Camilla Bray (Oranges And Sunshine) produces.
The film had its world premiere last night at the Rotterdam Film Festival and will head to Slamdance in the U.S. this weekend before stops at the Glasgow and Dublin film festivals. Altitude will release in UK and Ireland on May 17.
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