UC alum’s rock 'n' roll film comes to campus
'Free to Rock' will play at the TUC Cinema on Nov. 30
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.
Related Stories
Telescope captures information about lonely Jupiter-like gas giant
May 13, 2026
Science outlets highlight a University of Cincinnati student's collaborative discoveries about an exoplanet 901 light years away.
University of Cincinnati graduate programs rise in national rankings across high-demand fields
May 13, 2026
University of Cincinnati graduate programs climbed in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, led by strong gains in workforce-focused fields including public health, clinical psychology and business.
UC archaeologist receives 2026 Athens Prize
May 13, 2026
University of Cincinnati archaeologist Jack L. Davis received the 2026 Athens Prize from the American School of Classical Studies at Athens during its annual gala May 7 at Gotham Hall. The award recognizes scholars whose work has significantly advanced knowledge of ancient Greece, a distinction that reflects Davis’ decades-long impact on the field of Aegean archaeology.