The Power of Culture

The film shows how Philip Beaumont, a musician from San Diego, California, tries to get to know these six artists. He does this by asking questions like ‘What is the most beautiful sound that you have ever heard?’ and ‘Tell me about your love’. These questions and their answers form the backbone to the film. Philip looks at the resulting footage and then writes a song ‘The melody of their life’. The final film is both warm and intriguing.

The Valley of the Dog Songs is a project of the artists’ initiative el despacho, which is run by the Mexican artist Diego Gutiérrez. The film was made in collaboration with 12 artists and filmmakers from the six cities. It was presented in Amsterdam last month, with screenings being planned for the near future for Jakarta, Lima and Mexico City too.

The DVD can be ordered online from el despacho or Black Heart Procession or can be bought at such outlets as the Athenaeum News Centre, Spui 14-16 in Amsterdam.

The project was supported by a joint initiative between the RAIN (RAIN Artists’ Initiative Network) and the Rijksacademie voor de beeldende kunsten (Royal academy for the visual arts), as well as by HIVOS, the Doen Foundation and others.