They Shot the Piano Player

In this lively animated music documentary, a New York journalist named Jeff Harris (Jeff Goldblum) goes on a quest to uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of a young Brazilian jazz pianist, Tenorio Jr., in the 1970s. The film switches back and forth between Harris’ present-day investigations in Brazil and Argentina, where he tracks down and talks to music virtuosos like Gilberto Gil and João Gilberto, and beautifully envisioned memories of the Bossa Nova music scene of the ‘60s and ‘70s.

From the directors of the Oscar-nominated animated feature Chico and Rita, They Shot the Piano Player is both an engaging political murder mystery and a snapshot of the creative freedom and musical innovation that took place during a turning point in Latin American history, just before the continent was engulfed by totalitarian regimes.