Solitude & Live Performance and Panel Discussion at CULTPLEX
Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor
Experimental film Solitude places actress, singer-songwriter and rock ‘n’ roll icon Nico front and centre. Directed by artist and filmmaker Nina Danino, the film promises insight into the remarkable, mysterious life and work of the cult figure, using images, songs and poetry to explore Nico’s relationship to the romantic bohemian tradition in which she placed herself.
Solitude was originally released in 2022, but screens at CULTPLEX with a new musical arrangement created by composer, electronic producer and long-time collaborator of Nico, Gagarin (Graham Dowdall), which will be performed live for guests on the night.
Nico is best known for her work and association with The Velvet Underground and Andy Warhol, but she spent some time living in Manchester in the early 1980s.
Danino says, “I am really excited to be showing Solitude in Manchester – a special place for Nico’s life story, as it is where she re-launched her career as a touring musician with her band The Faction. I’m looking forward to showcasing the excellent work of Graham Dowdall who has created new arrangements for Nico’s songs in a haunting electronic soundtrack.”
After the screening, a panel will discuss Nico’s life, work and place in the cultural landscape, including the years she spent in Manchester. The panel will include Nico biographers Richard Witts and Jennifer Otter Bickerdyke, alongside two of her managers and friends, Phil Jones, and Nigel Bageley, and will be hosted by broadcaster, author and cultural commentator John Robb.
