The 2023 edition of the Karlovy Vary Film Festival promises to be a star-studded affair, with A-list actors such as Ewan McGregor, Alicia Vikander, and Russell Crowe attending. McGregor and Vikander will be receiving special honors at the Czech spa town, while Crowe is set to attend for a career retrospective and to receive the Crystal Globe lifetime achievement award. Crowe will also be performing with his band The Gentlemen Barbers on the opening night of the festival.
However, the opening concert of the festival will also feature another musical act, one that is well-established in the industry. English band Morcheeba, known for their downtempo, electronic vibes, will be performing on June 30th. Since their formation in the mid-1990s, Morcheeba has evolved from their trip hop origins into a more pop-based, hip-hop-infused soul sound. Their breakout albums, “Big Calm” in 1998 and “Fragments of Freedom” in 2000, gained them popularity and recognition. In 2021, they released their 10th studio album, “Blackest Blue”, and are currently on a major European tour. The festival in Karlovy Vary will mark their first appearance at a film festival.
In an email interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Morcheeba’s lead singer, Skye Edwards, discussed the band’s various cinematic connections and the possibility of collaborating with Russell Crowe. When asked if they have performed at a film festival opening before, Edwards couldn’t recall, but shared a fond memory of taking her children to see the movie “Spy Kids” at a film premier years ago. She expressed her excitement about the opportunity to potentially meet Russell Crowe and watch his set, mentioning that their voices would sound great together in a collaboration.
The interviewer also highlighted the cinematic quality of Morcheeba’s music and asked about the influence of film on their creativity over the years. Edwards shared a memory of being influenced by the film “Performance”, starring Mick Jagger, during the recording of their album “Who Can You Trust”. She mentioned that Ross and Paul Godfrey, the band’s founding members, were so inspired by the film that they even painted a wall in their North London flat similar to the movie’s vibrant red color.
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Morcheeba’s tracks have often been featured in films and TV shows, and Edwards expressed interest in delving into soundtrack writing herself. She mentioned that Ross had previously made music for the movie “The Girlfriend Experience” directed by Steven Soderbergh while living in Los Angeles. Edwards herself has sung on a few movie soundtracks, including “The Secret of Moonacre” directed by Gábor Csupó and “Bliss” directed by Mike Cahill. She shared that the song “You and I” was originally intended for the end credits of “Bliss”, but the director loved it so much that he rewrote a scene to include the song in the film.
As for their upcoming projects, Morcheeba is already working on their 11th album. Edwards revealed that they have written and recorded about 10 tracks so far, with plans to write a few more. She mentioned collaborating with music producer Alex O’Keefe and Simple Minds drummer Cherise Osei on new tracks. Although they are making progress on the album quicker than expected, they are taking a relaxed approach and do not have a release date in mind yet.
The Karlovy Vary Film Festival is set to kick off with a night filled with A-list stars and captivating musical performances. With the likes of Ewan McGregor, Alicia Vikander, and Russell Crowe in attendance, along with the soulful sounds of Morcheeba, the festival promises to be a memorable event for both film and music enthusiasts.
