Free to Rock (2017)

Boldly directed by four-time Emmy winning filmmaker Jim Brown, "Free to Rock" is a striking 60-minute documentary that dives into the transformative power of Rock & Roll within the confines of the Iron Curtain. With the gritty, raw voice of Kiefer Sutherland guiding viewers, the film uncovers the pivotal role of this defiant genre in influencing social change and ultimately triggering the collapse of the Soviet Union between 1955 and 1991. A decade in the making, "Free to Rock" is a melodic journey through an era where Rock & Roll became the clandestine anthem of freedom for the oppressed youth. Despite the Communist regime's relentless attempts to stifle its influence and brand it as a contamination, the rebellious sound seeped through the Iron Curtain, sparking a desire for Western values and basic human rights. The film compellingly illuminates how this music genre, though outlawed, insidiously fueled the nonviolent implosion of the Soviet system. The narrative weaves through the intricate tales of political figures, musicians, activists, and even spies who lived this real-life drama. It spotlights the brutal crackdown by the KGB, marked by arrests, beatings, death threats, and imprisonment. Yet, amid the darkness, thousands of underground bands emerged, inspiring and igniting independence movements that eventually led to the Soviet communist system's bloodless downfall. Featuring insightful interviews and captivating performances from an array of figures, including Presidents Carter and Gorbachev, NATO Deputy Secretary General Vershbow, KGB General Kalugin, along with iconic rock stars like Elvis Presley, Beatles, Billy Joel, Metallica, and Bruce Springsteen, "Free to Rock" paints a vibrant picture of a tumultuous era. It's a tribute to the Iron Curtain rockers who bravely endured the long struggle with the Kremlin and KGB, and to the power of music to incite change. This thought-provoking film plays out as a harmonious collaboration with the Grammy Museum, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Stas Namin Center of Moscow, supported by the U.S. Government's National Endowment of the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. "Free to Rock" is a testament to the indomitable spirit of rebellion and the universal craving for freedom.

Free to Rock is a documentary movie featuring Kiefer Sutherland and directed by Jim Brown.

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