Film – The Shock of the Future: A tribute to women in the music industry

Marc Collin directs this brilliant film about the birth of electronic music, set in Paris in the late 1970s. Starring a perfectly cast Alma Jodorowsky, The Shock of the Future pays a long overdue tribute to the involvement women had in the rise of the electronic music industry – and does a wonderful job in the process.

TEXT: ANNA BONET

It’s 1978 in Paris, and rock music isn’t as exciting as it once used to be. No one is more aware of this than Ana (Jodorowsky), a musician who is bored of the same old sounds of the ‘50s, and spends her days trying to say so to everyone in the industry. But those around her are set in their ways, and the last person they’ll listen to is a woman in her ‘20s.

Desperate to be heard, Ana experiments with sound synthesisers in her apartment. Her music is innovative and exciting, though she’s the only one who will pay any attention to it. But this all changes when Clara (Luciani) arrives on her doorstep.

Clara is only here to do the vocals for the advert jingle Ana is supposed to be producing, but the two women are professionally made for each other. Despite the fact that this is their first meeting, both the chemistry between them and their passion for a new wave of music is palpable. Together, they make a record which will mark a shift in sound for decades to come.

The Shock of the Future is only 85 minutes in length, but is stitched together with precision and talent. Each member of the cast is as resoundingly authentic as the last, and the ‘70s Parisian apartment setting (where the majority of the film takes place) is nostalgic yet familiar.

Though it oscillates with an energy for electronic music, The Shock of the Future isn’t just for music buffs. It’s an enticing film, and an excellent watch. It celebrates female musicians and addresses the injustice that has, until now, written them out of history. Above all, though, this film will make you want to get up and dance. A true success.

Director: Marc Collin
Lead cast: Alma Jodorowsky, Clara Luciani, Philippe Rebbot, Geoffrey Carey
Release date: 13 September