Half-blood Blues: A Journey Through Jazz, Friendship, and History

Production Details

Title: Half-blood Blues

Format: Feature Film

Production Begins: Active Development

Producer: Damon D’Oliveira, Caitlin Grabham

Writer: Patrick Whistler

Writer/Director: Clement Virgo

Synopsis

The story follows a jazz bassist named Sidney “Sid” Griffiths and his bandmates, from the jazz scene in 1939 Berlin and Paris into the 1940s, when Griffiths and his friends attempt to flee the impending peril that looms over Germany. Racial hatred is in vogue, and a mixed-race German citizen (dubbed by the Nazis with the epithet “Rhineland Bastard”) like Hiero Falk can be arrested and simply disappear, lost to history. Juxtaposed against this is another narrative, set in 1992. Sid and Chip re-unite and travel back to Berlin for the screening of the documentary about Hiero Falk, and in which both Sid and Chip appear. Watching their life on the big screen turns out to be somewhat different from what they expected, and the mysterious letter that Chip has received leads them to another journey, across countries, time, and their own emotions.

Conquering Lion Pictures

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Email: info@conqueringlion.ca

Elevation Pictures

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Toronto, ON M5V 1W2

Phone: 416-583-5800
Email: info@elevationpictures.com

Phone: 416-967-1055

About Half-blood Blues

Set against the backdrop of the late 1930s and early 1940s, “Half-blood Blues” follows jazz bassist Sidney “Sid” Griffiths and his band as they navigate the dangers of a world consumed by racial hatred. The narrative explores their attempts to escape the growing threats in Germany, particularly for those deemed different, like mixed-race musician Hiero Falk. Parallel to this historical timeline, the story shifts to 1992, where Sid and his old bandmate Chip reunite in Berlin for a documentary screening about Hiero. The experience forces them to confront their past and the complexities of their friendship, revealing unexpected truths about their lives and shared history.