Imagine the scene. You are young like all others. You have your favorite bands and films, your dreams and plans about what you want to do be life. One day is like this, normal; the next day you are hearing the band Sonic Youth, talking to Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo, experiencing the backstage of the show in your city. This is the idea of the Moonshine Project, created by Michael Albright, which gave rise to the film. Like these youths from Reno, music seems to be made of great dreamers; at times it is a representation of history – intense, messy, passionate – of these human beings.

This year the program brings not only music; it is dedicated to the artist’s intense declarations. The loners in the documentary One Man In The Band appear not to need anyone other than themselves to create the sound they believe in; they are determined and persistent.

Arthur Russel was defeated by AIDS, Gary Wilson left the scene after a memorable CD. One of the most important documentaries this year, Wild Combination: Portrait The Arthur Russel, discusses the importance of this musician’s work who is well known in classical, experimental and disco music. Making an album with the title You Think You Really Know Me, and then leaving. Michael Wolk’s documentary tries to lean about the true Gary Wilson, to solve this riddle and to reveal what really happened. The program also offers a documentary about the visceral band Joy Division. A question remains without an answer: what would music be like today if Ian Curtis were still among us?
A demonstration of musical resistance to close the Underground Music program: the lovely scenes of the Asian countries that were ravaged by the Tsunami, in the film Laya Project, are not only the background of beautiful music created by local artists; both nature and music seem to be intertwined and indestructible. (D.A)