The topic: Zorita
Zorita is an eight-piece band from Amsterdam. This summer they crossed the North Sea to tour England. They performed at major festivals and small venues, did a show on a giant pirate ship and and played the smallest stage in the country: a London guitar shop. Two filmmakers followed them everywhere they went. They recorded everything that happened on stage and backstage, all the highs and lows of this road trip.
The movie
Zorita makes bittersweet music. Melancholic but still with swing; serious intense and exuberant at the same time. The same contrasts can be found in Carlos, the founder of the band. Carlos is a timid, silent but independent person. With his passion for music he founded his dream band six years ago.
Nine men. All playing a different instrument, a different character and a different role in the group. Where some want to hang out with the other band members all the time, others prefer to be alone. As a bandleader the biggest concern of Carlos is if he can keep everybody rowing in the same direction. A tough job with a team of nine men. Nevertheless they all want the same thing in the end: make people dance with their passion for music. All these different characters know how to point their energy in the same direction to convince any audience.
To go on tour sounds like a magnificent musical and romantic adventure. To some extent this is true, but there is much more to it. During the vast majority of the "adventure" you hardly sleep, sit in a car, and wait endlessly between soundcheck and the start of the show. But that shouldn’t spoil the sense of adventure: exciting unknown places and meeting new people. With their instruments as a means for communication tool in a country that turns out to be completely different than sweet home Amsterdam.
In a nutshell, a short documentary about the eight-piece band Zorita, touring abroad for the first time. Wild parties alternate with intense moments of music making. Is Zorita a band with a common mission as Carlos would wish? Is everybody really heading in the same direction? Or is everyone there for his own pleasure? How will Zorita be received by the British people? And ... will they make their breakthrough in England?
Above all this is a film in which you get to know the band members one by one. You live and grow with them during the tour. Friendships are deepened and put to the test. With music as a thread that links them all, it shows how nine men conquer new territory with their shared passion. Until They Die.
Approach
Both filmmakers immediately felt a huge connection with Zorita. They were able to get close and make an intimate portrayal of the band. The viewer will immediatly feel this and share the experience of touring. Both filmmakers have a huge passion for music and a lot of experience in filming music and performances. Besides the social dynamics, conveniences and inconveniences of touring, the shows play an important part in the film.
Plan
Now that the tour is over, it is time to turn all those hours of footage into something beautiful. 'Until We Die', a documentary about the tour, will be released early next year. This means a lot of work: editing, colour correction, sound engineering and graphic design. The raw material is there, but finishing the movie still needs a lot of time and effort. And that is why we need your help! Because we need some financial support to finish the documentary. Not only will you get a beautiful film in return, but you might also like a serenade at your balcony window or have breakfast with champagne with your favorite band member.
