A German teenager unexpectedly organises one of the greatest jazz events of all time, involving Miles Davis’ keyboard player and a gang of her friends. This ‘based on a true story’ madness is the background to Köln 75, a story which, if it wasn’t true, you’d be hard-pressed to make it up.
I think that director Ido Fluk was going for a bit of a free-flowing, fluidly structured film in homage to the jazz music thatKöln 75 hangs on – but part way through, once the exposition is done, the film turns into a sprightly, if slightly formulaic, tale of a young girl attempting a seemingly insurmountable task. Because Köln 75 isn’t about the destination, it’s about the journey.
Opening at the 50th birthday celebration of Vera Brandes (Susanne Wolff), it’s not long before the first of several fourth-wall-breaking moments happens, and we are transported back to the 1970s. 18-year old Vera (now played by Mala Emde) would rather be in jazz clubs than doing her homework or spending time with family, and is in constant conflict with her dentist father (Ulrich Tukur) as a result. Starting out a career as a jazz concert promoter with no experience whatsoever, Köln 75 sees Vera chaotically planning what would turn out to be one of the greatest concerts ever recorded in the jazz world and the best-selling solo jazz album in history.
The solo artist in question, Keith Jarrett (John Magaro) is a dour man, immersed in his music, and suffering physical pain as a result of the way he holds his body when playing. He could not be a more direct contrast to Vera, whom Mala Emde plays as brim-full of energy, with a reluctance to conform and an absolute refusal to let life get the better of her. She’s infectious, and it’s not a coincidence that the film poster sees her joyfully running down the street – this film is about her (based on a) true story, of which Jarrett’s masterpiece is only the end result.
The costumes and set design definitely capture that ochre hue of the 1970s, and I particularly liked Vera’s coat and boots combo. And supporting performances from the likes of German favourites Tukur, Jördis Triebel, Enno Trebs and a fleeting Uwe Preuss are a valuable anchor when Vera’s enthusiasm seems to be getting out of control.
As someone who knows little about jazz music, I appreciated the clever explanations of what was going on, even though the fourth-wall breaking was just a little annoying. I wonder if a jazz aficionado might be less forgiving. But then, the film is not really about the music, it’s about the resilience of a German teenager who won’t take no for an answer in order to live her dream.
Köln 75 is released in UK and Irish cinemas on 5th June 2026.
A German teenager unexpectedly organises one of the greatest jazz events of all time, involving Miles Davis’ keyboard player and a gang of her friends. This ‘based on a true story’ madness is the background to Köln 75, a story which, if it wasn’t true, you’d be hard-pressed to make it up.
I think that director Ido Fluk was going for a bit of a free-flowing, fluidly structured film in homage to the jazz music thatKöln 75 hangs on – but part way through, once the exposition is done, the film turns into a sprightly, if slightly formulaic, tale of a young girl attempting a seemingly insurmountable task. Because Köln 75 isn’t about the destination, it’s about the journey.
Opening at the 50th birthday celebration of Vera Brandes (Susanne Wolff), it’s not long before the first of several fourth-wall-breaking moments happens, and we are transported back to the 1970s. 18-year old Vera (now played by Mala Emde) would rather be in jazz clubs than doing her homework or spending time with family, and is in constant conflict with her dentist father (Ulrich Tukur) as a result. Starting out a career as a jazz concert promoter with no experience whatsoever, Köln 75 sees Vera chaotically planning what would turn out to be one of the greatest concerts ever recorded in the jazz world and the best-selling solo jazz album in history.
The solo artist in question, Keith Jarrett (John Magaro) is a dour man, immersed in his music, and suffering physical pain as a result of the way he holds his body when playing. He could not be a more direct contrast to Vera, whom Mala Emde plays as brim-full of energy, with a reluctance to conform and an absolute refusal to let life get the better of her. She’s infectious, and it’s not a coincidence that the film poster sees her joyfully running down the street – this film is about her (based on a) true story, of which Jarrett’s masterpiece is only the end result.
The costumes and set design definitely capture that ochre hue of the 1970s, and I particularly liked Vera’s coat and boots combo. And supporting performances from the likes of German favourites Tukur, Jördis Triebel, Enno Trebs and a fleeting Uwe Preuss are a valuable anchor when Vera’s enthusiasm seems to be getting out of control.
As someone who knows little about jazz music, I appreciated the clever explanations of what was going on, even though the fourth-wall breaking was just a little annoying. I wonder if a jazz aficionado might be less forgiving. But then, the film is not really about the music, it’s about the resilience of a German teenager who won’t take no for an answer in order to live her dream.
Köln 75 is released in UK and Irish cinemas on 5th June 2026.
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