One film we're surprised didn't come out of TIFF with more buzz was "The Island President." Granted, we didn't get a chance to screen it, but we heard a lot of good word about the documentary and after picking up the Audience Award in that category, we figured there were bigger things to come. Well, that didn't really happen — yet — but some boys over the U.K., in a tiny band you might have heard of called Radiohead, will hopefully be giving the movie a little bit of a boost.
Spastic dance enthusiast Thom Yorke posted to the band's Dead Air Space blog to say: " 'The Island President' is a film about the Maldives, and the struggle of President Nasheed to get the voice of a small nation heard in the climate change debate. Unless something is done to stop rising sea levels they will lose everything. The country will be under water. Some of our music was used to help tell the story."
Indeed, the film, directed by John Shenk, chronicles the work by President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives to get larger nations to reduce their carbon emissions. Why? Water levels are rising and a change in three meters would virtually drown the 1200 islands of the Maldives, making them unliveable. With fourteen songs by Radiohead and a handful of tunes by indie post-rock band Stars Of The Lid, the doc certainly isn't lacking in expressive music to help tell the tale.
"This Island President" continues to do festival rounds playing Sundance, Santa Barbara and Newport before hitting theaters on March 28th. Full list of songs and trailer below.
All The Songs In "This Island President"
Radiohead "Kid A"
Radiohead "Morning Bell"
Stars Of The Lid "Sun Drugs"
Stars Of The Lid "Down II"
Radiohead "Hunting Bears"
Stars Of The Lid "Lactate's Moment"
Stars Of The Lid "Cantus II: In Memory Of Wiltzie"
Radiohead "I Might Be Wrong"
Radiohead "Electioneering"
Radiohead "Optimistic"
Radiohead "House Of Cards"
Radiohead "Tree Fingers"
Radiohead "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi"
Radiohead "In Limbo"
Stars Of The Lid "The Better Angels Of Our Nation"
Stars Of The Lid "Arch Song"
Radiohead "Everything In Its Right Place"
Stars Of The Lid "Jan '69"
Radiohead "How To Disappear Completely"
Radiohead "Reckoner"
Various "Wathan Edhey Gotha"
Radiohead "Idioteque"
John Henry "Mello Profundo"