THE RISE OF THE SYNTHS

Directed by Iván Castell

Produced by: Castell & Moreno Films, 9am Media Lab

Director of Photography: Adrian Barcelona, Beltrán Garcia Valiente

Edit: Iván Castell

Sound Design: Santiago Abadía

Music: Robin Ogden

Art Director: Victor Abad

VFX: Mayec Rancel

Cámara: SONY FS7; ARRI ALEXA CLASSIC; RED GEMINI; RED Scarlet X

Ópticas: Samyang VDSLR MKI; NIKON AIS; Xeen cinema Lenses

Raise your hand if you haven’t seen or heard of Stranger Things. The phenomenon of this series responds to a nostalgia for the 80’s that is reflected today and relentlessly in film, television and even video games – And of course, also in music.

Narrated by iconic director John Carpenter, «The Rise Of The Synths» is a journey back and forth in time, from to the roots of this worldwide grass-root music scene known as Synthwave to its impact on today’s pop culture. A whisper on selected internet hubs that has transformed into an ever-growing scene expanding rapidly as we speak. Accounting millions of plays on social media, devoted fans are legion but nobody in the mass media knows about them.

So what is Synthwave? An irresistible blend of nostalgia and music; of creative processes and cultural references; of re-appropriation and legitimate creation. Is a random revival or an emerging cultural phenomenon?

Anonymous, private and elusive, most of these composers have remained in the shadows, until now.

A time travel into the universe of creating sounds. A love letter to the collective memories of a universe that never existed.

Featuring: 80s Stallone, Vehlinggo, Carpenter Brut, College, Dance with the dead, Drive Radio, Dynatron, Electric Youth, Filip Galetic (Synthwave TV), Gost, Gunship, Holodeck Records, John Bergin, Jurgen Desmet (Playmaker Media Group), Lazerhawk, Maethelvin, Mecha Maiko, Miami Nights 1984, MPM Soundtracks, Nightcrawler, NINA, OGRE, Pauline Putrescine, Perturbator, Power Glove, Robert Parker, Scandroid, NewRetroWave, The Midnight and Waveshaper.

RECONOCIMIENTOS / AWARDS & SELECTIONS

  • 2019 / In-Edit Film Festival.
  • 2020 / Dock Of The Bay File Fest.
  • 2020 / International Film Festival Rotterdam.
  • 2020 / F.R.A.M.E. Festival Paris.
  • 2020 / Winner / Byron Bay International Film Festival.
  • 2020 / Doc’n Roll Festival.
  • 2020 / Melbourne Documentary Film Festival.
  • 2020 / Best Editing / Premios Simón de la Academia de Cine Aragonés.
  • 2020 / Best Cinematography / Premios Simón de la Academia de Cine Aragonés.
  • 2020 / Night Visions Film Festival
  • 2020 / Slash Film Festival
  • 2020 / BAFICI – Buenos Aires Film Festival