Dark City Beneath the Beat is an inspiring audio-visual experience: a journey to the heart of the Baltimore club scene led by director TT The Artist and featuring a colourful group of local DJs and artists. Many outsiders’ perspectives on Black communities in Baltimore have exploitative undertones; in contrast, this film, co-produced by Issa Rae, is an insiders’ portrait. It calls on us to join together to transcend socio-economic problems through music, poetry and dance. In this stylish portrayal of the essence of Baltimore, from its unique social climate to its creative LGBTQ+ community, musical sequences and personal stories reveal how a positive subculture can keep a city’s heart beating. It’s hard to stay in your seat in the face of these sound pioneers’ incredible energy! (Charlotte Selb)

Presented in collaboration with Radio-Canada and POP Montréal

Dark City Beneath the Beat