World Premiere
For the Love of the City
Feature | United States | 57 Minutes | English

FOR THE LOVE OF THE CITY explores the legendary after-hours music scene surrounding the New Orleans Jazz Fest and the real magic after the festival grounds close. Through interviews and performances featuring artists like Warren Haynes, John Popper, Widespread Panic, Galactic, Michael Franti and Mickey Hart, the film captures how these night shows became the heartbeat of the city’s musical community. Spanning the years before and after Hurricane Katrina, the documentary celebrates the resilience, culture, and deep devotion that musicians and fans share for the soul of New Orleans. Because in this city, the music is never just music. It’s done for the love of the city. Director: Michael Lacy.  Theater A

After the screening: A live conversation with Director Michael Lacy

North American Premiere
Keeping Time: The Malta Jazz Festival Story
Short | 25 Minutes | English, Maltese

From its founding in 1991, to the present day, KEEPING TIME: THE MALTA JAZZ FESTIVAL STORY examines how the Malta Jazz Festival has navigated periods of change, uncertainty, and renewal. Through interviews, archival sources, and performance footage, the film explores how successive artistic directors and a dedicated local jazz community have shaped and sustained a festival that has played a key role in Malta’s cultural life while building an international reputation within the European jazz circuit. It showcases legendary jazz icons who shaped the festival from its inception, prominently featuring archival footage and mentions of legendary jazz drummer Elvin Jones, celebrated jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea, and renowned French jazz pianist Michel Petrucciani. It also highlights how a 1990 concert by pop and rock legend Tina Turner in Malta indirectly paved the way for the festival's creation. Director: Cedric Vella.