Hi everyone, I'm Scott, a filmmaker from the US who came to New Zealand last month to host the international premiere of one of my films.

I'm doing a live in residency at XCHC and have access to the facilities, so I'm hosting a night to connect with others interested in the topic and screen the music scene documentary that inspired me to direct two of my own rockumetaries.

The film:
B-Movie Lust & Sound '79-'89 West Berlin is one of my favorite films of all time. The film doesn't get into the politics or ideology of that place and time but there is a subtext of the 'set' they were living in on a vibrant island of chaos in sea of authoritarianism in East Germany.

I'd love to get your thoughts on film, creativity, music and what inspires you to create and express yourselves by sharing what inspired me to take action and start actually making films. I would love to get your reaction to the themes and forms of expression captured in this film and maybe brainstorm on capturing creative expression in New Zealand.

My Connection to the film:
B-Movie Lust & Sound screened at the Goethe Institute DocLab, a documentary academy in Hanoi Vietnam. I spent five years studying and working on documentary filmmaking and live performace music videos in Hanoi as part of a greater creative community of musicians and visual artists there in spaces analogous to XCHC; Hanoi Rock City & Rec Room specifically.

My first rockumentary, "Hanoi Mixtape - Rec Room Anthology", was direclty inspired by B-Movie Lust & Sound. DocLab (venue) put on screenings with film directors and this one sparked something in me to take immediate action and shot and edited a whole film that week.

I sense the film will inspire others interested in how film and music is a reaction to authoritarianism.

Special guests:
Creating art in an authoritarian country like Vietnam and situations unique to Berlin, was challenging. In Christchurch we have some individuals who grew up in East and West Germany. I'm excited to have a few people attend who grew up on either side of the Berlin wall to hear from them directly on how that impacted their lives and how it informs our modern day conflicts and the sonic rebellion sure to come.

Other Upcoming events:
I'll be hosting regular events Mondays at XCHC simiar to this night. Get in touch if you have an idea and interested in getting involved.

Koha welcomed: XCHC does not recieve grants/funding, but generously provides the space to many creatives, so donations are appreciated and will go towards maintaining the space and keeping it accessible and affordable.