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Disco's Revenge film image; man dressed as rapper smiling

Disco's Revenge

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This loving, vivacious doc chronicles disco’s trajectory, from its origins in the early 70s through its harsh repudiation in the early 80s to its triumphant rebirth as house music. Directors Peter Mishara and Omar Majeed use interviews, needle drops, and a treasure trove of archival footage to convey not only the facts about the genre, but the feel of it as well.

In many ways, DJs were the real stars of disco, and at times it seems like the directors have paid tribute to that fact by making an annotated, illustrated mixtape session. The cutting matches the relentless drive of the music: the “four on the floor” bass kick, the fast tempo of the high hat, and the snap of the snare. The film is a history lesson as well, offering a cogent examination of the sexual, gender, and racial politics connected to the genre. Beautifully assembled, loaded with info, and bursting with energy, Disco’s Revenge is a joyful experience.

 

Oct 4 & 6: Q&A with directors Omar Majeed & Peter Mishara

 

Presented by

Media Partner

Directors
Featuring

Nile Rodgers, Billy Porter, Nona Hendryx, Grandmaster Flash, Fab Five Freddy, Nicky Siano

Credits
Country of Origin

Canada

Year

2024

Language

English

18+

At International Village

19+

At Fifth Avenue

100 min
Art, Music & Photography Documentary Q&As at VIFF

Book Tickets

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Credits & Director

Executive Producer

Nile Rodgers, Stanley Nelson Jr., Vivian Scott Chew

Producer

Noah Segal, Sam Sutherland, Christina Piovesan, Dave Harris

Screenwriter

Peter Mishara, Omar Majeed

Cinematography

Ashley Iris Gill

Editor

Omar Majeed, Peter Mishara, Navin Harrilal

Original Music

Jody Colero, Tiffany Su

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Omar Majeed

Omar Majeed is an award-winning director, editor, and producer who studied cinema at York University. His first feature-length documentary TAQWACORE: The Birth of Punk Islam (2009) chronicled the rise of the nascent Muslim Punk scene in North America and Pakistan. In 2012, Omar produced and co-directed The Frog Princes (2012) profiling a Montreal-based theatre troupe of young adults with developmental disabilities which aired nationally on CBC.

Filmography: TAQWACORE: The Birth of Punk (2009)

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Peter Mishara

Peter Mishara is a writer and director from New York City. He is best known for the TV mini series The Artists (2018) and the short film Sprnva (2014). Disco’s Revenge is his first feature film and co-directed with Omar Majeed.

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