“Trojan Jazz”

Summer 1962. The height of the Cold War. The first American jazz orchestra, led by Benny Goodman, is touring the USSR, a groundbreaking event that took place between the Berlin and Cuban crises. For Soviet citizens, this tour was a tremendous breakthrough in political relations between the two superpowers. It was not only a rare chance to hear live jazz—music frowned upon by Soviet authorities—but also an opportunity to meet and see real Americans.

One of the film's characters notes that if Lenin had emerged from the Mausoleum, it would have been less of a shock than Benny Goodman appearing on Red Square. Jazz became a symbol of freedom in a totalitarian country. The film reflects on the tour's impact 60 years later, featuring modern Russia, where the KGB-like authorities confiscate parks from elderly artists, and Ukraine, which is fighting for its freedom. Unique footage of the pre-war city of Irpin, destroyed by Russian troops in the spring of 2022, serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle for independence.