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***The director will be donating his profits to musicians and sound systems***
Dir. Alessandro Ugo, UK, 2023, 79'
An essential in-depth documentary on the European free party tekno scene; from Desert Storm and Spiral Tribe, to tabloid panic and the £200+ entrance fees of the modern day festival circuit, F[R]EE celebrates the global vibrancy and breadth of this counter-culture with international contributors from free parties and clubs across Europe and the UK, including Balter and Boomtown festivals. The film explores the strong bond between Tekno and the concept of the ‘Free Party’, enlisting several key players who were present at the birth of the genre. Featured artists and producers include 69db from Spiral Tribe, Mat Weasel Busters, Chris and Aaron Liberator, photographer Molly Macindoe, Shockraver, Randy909, Narkotek crew, Astrix, and many more.
Tekno is a music genre that has seen enormous growth over the past twenty years. At its genesis in 1990, Tekno was played almost exclusively at small illegal rave parties, which made it difficult to trace, given how challenging it was to arrange interviews or simply bring cameras into these clandestine spaces. Filmed across the UK and several European countries and covering a three-decade journey, it digs into the core ideas behind the ‘Free Party’ concept, its evolution throughout the years, and the shift that brought Tekno into clubs and festivals. Although an obscure scene, often riddled with stereotypes, F[R]EE shows how this genre exploded into the collective consciousness, reaching people of every age, race, and social class, fostering a radical counter-culture that has remained strong for over 30 years.