Johan Grimonprez, dir. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat. 2024. 150 minutes. French, English, Russian, with English subtitles. Belgium, France, Netherlands. ARTE TV, $0.00 (to rent). RTBF, $0.00 (to rent). VRT Canvas, $0.00 (to rent).

<em class="italic">Soundtrack to a Coup d’État</em> (2024) is a documentary that delves into the political turmoil following Congo’s independence. Constructed largely from archival footage, the film brings into frame historical figures such as Patrice Lumumba, Andrée Blouin, Mobutu Sese Seko, Nikita Khrushchev, Dag Hammarskjöld, Dwight Eisenhower, Malcolm X, and Fidel Castro. Set against the backdrop of decolonization, the Cold War, and the emergence of the Non-Aligned Movement, their presence traces the contours of the Congo Crisis and its place in a shifting global order.