Keith Jarrett’s The Köln Concert is the best-selling solo album in jazz history — a live recording of his extraordinary January 24, 1975, performance at the Cologne Opera House. Earlier this year, the album was inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry, cementing its place as one of the most iconic moments in modern music.
In KÖLN 75, filmmaker Ido Fluk turns the familiar music-biopic formula on its head, reframing the story through the eyes of Vera Brandes, the 18-year-old promoter who made the concert happen. With a spirit that owes more to punk rock than free jazz, Brandes is brought vividly to life by Mala Emde, while John Magaro delivers a mesmerizing portrayal of the mercurial Jarrett.
You don’t have to be a jazz aficionado to love this film. KÖLN 75 is a vibrant, unconventional look at creativity, youth, and artistic risk — and anyone who appreciates original arthouse cinema will find something to connect with here.
Join us for our conversation with filmmaker Ido Fluk, on Inside the Arthouse — starting now.
