UC alum’s rock 'n' roll film comes to campus

By: Brittany Fletcher

Much has been written about the Cold War, but the story of how rock 'n' roll helped bring down the Iron Curtain — and hasten the demise of the former Soviet Union — is a tale less often told.

“Free to Rock,” produced in part by University of Cincinnati alumnus Douglas Yeager, documents how the power of music inspired social upheaval that altered the course of history.

Narrated by Kiefer Sutherland, “Free to Rock” is directed by four-time Emmy winner Jim Brown and features interviews with former President Jimmy Carter and former Communist Party leader Mikhail Gorbachev discussing the role of rock in ending the Cold War.

The film also features interviews and performances by rock icons, including the Beach Boys, Billy Joel, the Beatles and Metallica, and prominent Iron Curtain rock pioneers including Stas Namin, Andrey Makarevich, Boris Grebenshikov and more.

“Free to Rock” will play in the Tangeman University Center Cinema at 12:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30. The documentary is 60 minutes and will be followed by a Q&A session with members of the film’s production team including Yeager.

Watch the “Free to Rock” trailer