The film ” If the Stars Had a Sound » about the Scottish group Mogwai will be previewed at South by Southwest in March.
The first trailer for If the Stars Had a Sound, the upcoming documentary about Scottish band Mogwai, is enveloped in a feeling that lies somewhere between serenity and disquiet. The documentary, which will premiere at South by Southwest in March, was originally a short film, but has evolved over time into an examination of how Mogwai reflects the same dichotomy between light and darkness as its country of origin.
“ Scotland is a country of binaries. We see them everywhere. In Glasgow, it’s Celtics or Rangers. West End or East End. And then there is Glasgow or Edinburgh says the preview’s voiceover, which sets the scene while comparing the country to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or Cain and Abel. “ There are the Scots who are very reticent, calm and shy. And there are the Scots who, when they have a drink, are real party animals. All these things are contained in the culture that emanates from this country. We see it in art, in stories and in music. I think Mogwai is the best example of this dual nature. The two sides of human nature. Light and dark are always there, clashing and bouncing off each other in Mogwai’s music. »
The band celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2020, and that’s also when the documentary began to take shape, as Mogwai recorded their final studio album in the midst of a pandemic. Filmed and directed by long-time collaborator Antony Crook, If the Stars Had a Sound traces the rise of Mogwai, from their beginnings to their status as a cult post-rock band.
“ We can’t wait to see Antony’s film If the Stars Had a Sound, Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite said in a statement. It was originally a short film about leaving Scotland to record in upstate New York in early 2020, but when the pandemic hit, everything changed. Antony and we persevered with the recording and film throughout the pandemic, and the film developed as we went along. Antony’s film is about how we all came out the other side. I think he achieved something really special. »
The documentary features archival footage captured over the band’s last two and a half decades, including during the recording process of As the Love Continueswhich was released in 2021.
