Movies Similar to Sounds of the Desert

Jan Terri: No Rules(2023)

30 years in the making, the film Jan Terri: No Rules tells the story of an irrepressible, and often delightfully perplexing personality. As a child, Jan would dance and sing for anyone who would listen. As a teenager, she began writing and performing her own songs. After earning her BA in Arts and Entertainment Management, she continued making music while working full-time as a limo driver. The income from that job allowed her to hire a studio as well as a videographer to help her make her unorthodox DIY music videos and distributing them on VHS tape. Without her knowledge, her videos made their way to the nascent YouTube. The fact that her most popular YouTube video was given the title “Worst Music Video Ever” didn’t dampen her spirit. Her fanbase grew to include such luminaries as Marilyn Manson and Cynthia Plaster Caster. Over the years, Jan’s independent spirit attracted many collaborators who’ve helped bring her vision to life.

The Aryans(2014)

THE ARYANS is Mo Asumang's personal journey into the madness of racism during which she meets German neo-Nazis, the US leading racist, the notorious Tom Metzger and Ku Klux Klan members in the alarming twilight of the Midwest. In The ARYANS Mo questions the completely wrong interpretation of "Aryanism" - a phenomenon of the tall, blond and blue-eyed master race.

The We Should Game(2023)

Fame driven Ken Dean becomes the subject of a documentary when he attempts to start a pornography company. Following the failure of the company, Ken uses his father's religious music to start a Christian rock band but finds himself trapped in a gay conversion cult.

There's Something in the Water(2019)

Elliot Page brings attention to the injustices and injuries caused by environmental racism in his home province, in this urgent documentary on Indigenous and African Nova Scotian women fighting to protect their communities, their land, and their futures.

Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America(2022)

Jeffery Robinson's talk on the history of U.S. anti-Black racism, with archival footage and interviews.

VISITAS(2023)

BINI Chapter 2: Here With You(2024)

After the road to success shown in the first chapter, "BINI Chapter 2: Here With You" explores BINI's regional tour and their encounters with Blooms across the Philippines.

[Stray Kids: Festival Docuseries](2024)

Two-part docuseries capturing the group's iconic 2024 performances at I-Days Milano, BST Hyde Park, and Lollapalooza Chicago, highlighting their preparation, energy, and global impact.

Hafu(2013)

A journey into the intricacies of mixed-race Japanese and their multicultural experiences in modern day Japan. For some hafus, Japan is the only home they know, for some living in Japan is an entirely new experience, and the others are caught somewhere between two different worlds.

The Rise of K-Pop(2020)

BTS, BLACKPINK, iKon, EXO, VIXX, G-idle, NCT. The Korean wave has arrived. K-pop has officially taken over the world. Now some of the biggest artists in the world are the result of a booming idol culture that has brought incredible songs, unmatched choreography and high concept production to a music revolution.

White Riot(2020)

Exploring how punk influenced politics in late-1970s Britain, when a group of artists united to take on the National Front, armed only with a fanzine and a love of music.

Bobi Wine: The People's President(2023)

Uganda has one the youngest populations in the world and one of its most flagrantly anti-democratic governments. These are ingredients for revolution, and Bobi Wine and his wife Barbie Kyagulanyi are stirring the pot. When the charismatic Bobi, a musician and member of parliament, announces his campaign for president, Uganda’s youth are ecstatic, filling parks and streets for every speech, and singing Bobi’s anthems of peace and freedom. But then comes the crackdown, orchestrated by Yoweri Museveni, a brutal dictator who has ruled Uganda for 36 years. Bobi and his crew survive arrests, beatings, torture, riots and raids.

The Show(1995)

A documentary about the culture of hip-hop. Through interviews with some of hip-hops biggest names, the film makers attempt to find out why it has become so popular.

Young At Heart(2008)

Documents the true story of the final weeks of rehearsal for the Young at Heart Chorus in Northampton, MA, and many of whom must overcome health adversities to participate. Their music goes against the stereotype of their age group. Although they have toured Europe and sang for royalty, this account focuses on preparing new songs for a concert in their hometown.

Surviving R. Kelly: The Impact(2019)

A look at the aftermath and global impact of the docuseries `Surviving R. Kelly'

The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story(2000)

Documents the race riot of 1921 and the destruction of the African-American community of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma. With testimony by eyewitnesses and background accounts by historians.

Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992(2017)

An in-depth look at the culture of Los Angeles in the ten years leading up to the 1992 uprising that erupted after the verdict of police officers cleared of beating Rodney King.

L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later(2017)

Documentary film exploring the lives of the people at the flashpoint of the LA riots, 25 years after the uprising made national headlines and highlighted the racial divide in America.

Living Bach(2023)

There are more than 300 Bach choirs and Bach ensembles worldwide, most of which are made up of amateurs. For many, their lives are inextricably linked with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. What do people seek and find in his music? What connects them across continents? What fascination lies in the music of the famous German composer, which manages to transcend borders, cultures, religions and centuries? The film embarks on a journey through six continents to meet amateur musicians and singers who have made Bach their "centerpiece".

Mi Vida Me Pasa(2024)

Arturo Urbiola, independent singer/songwriter, talks about the influence music has had on his life, it's impact, and what's in store for his artistic career after becoming a father.