Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert
From Beyoncé to Madonna to Paul McCartney, Coachella has hosted some of the world’s most iconic artists. This gives the festival its own legendary status. Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert explores the history of the festival and how it has captivated generations of film lovers.
Participants view Coachella as an essential rite of passage. In return, performers feel pressure to do their best.
The first factor that sets Coachella apart is its setting: a scenic desert in Indio, California. It also meant that for the first batch of investors and organizers, the festival sold poorly. The film interviews some of these pioneers who are directly responsible for shaping popular culture in the 21st century, as well as the musicians who helped make the festival a cultural institution. We learn about the struggles to overcome endless logistical challenges, and the quest to make the festival not only popular but also profitable.
Not long after, the Coachella Music Festival changed the music world. The significance of an impending revolution was evident from year one, when Morrissey took the stage and with it adoring fans. The festival quickly became known for its diversity of genres and talents. Over the past two decades, listeners have loved everything from punk rock and electronica to hard rock and bubblegum pop.
The real star of this movie is of course the music. Audiences will enjoy an array of truly classic live acts, including performances by Rage Against the Machine, Daft Punk, MGMT, Billie Eilish and Kanye West.
The festival has acquired a cachet of its own. We witness the history of modern music as the film rewinds performances from past years. The festival introduces audiences to the power of emerging music genres such as rave and EDM. In turn, music became more widely known in popular culture.
This stunning feature-length documentary is clearly a work of love. It’s an infectious tribute to the power of music, fans and shared experiences.
Directed by: Chris Perkel, Drew Thomas
