The Life story of the great south african pianist Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand).
He is a pianist, composer, Duke Ellington's spiritual and real-life successor, an icon of African music, the living personification of the kind of jazz tradition that is conscious of its roots - in short: he is one of the greatest living jazz musicians. Born in 1934 in a Cape Town'township' as Adolph Johannes Brand, his musical consciousness was influenced, from his childhood on, by traditional African, British, Chinese, Indian, Islamic and American music. By the time he was 15, he was a founding member of one of the most popular bands in Cape Town. He soon realised, however, that the Apartheid system stood in the way of'making it big' as a musician and he left in 1962 to Switzerland where he met with Duke Ellington. It was only in 1990 when Nelson Mandela was released and after converting to Islam that Ibrahim permanently returned to the country he considers'home': South Africa.
Ciro Cappellari made this HD film as a tribute to the unique musician, his oeuvre and his fight against Apartheid. Winner Adolf Grimme Award 2005, Nominee Rose d'Or.
Directed by Ciro Cappellari
Germany, 2004, Documentary, 58min, HDcam format / DigiBeta PAL, Colour, Spoken language: English
A STRUGGLE FOR LOVE - Trailer from Ciro Cappellari on Vimeo.