Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat: Johan Grimonprez’s documentary chronicles Patrice Lumumba’s journey and Congo’s independence. It is a complex tale that includes the Cold War, colonial, geopolitical, and economic interests, and the Civil Rights movement in the US, to mention a few. Still, the narrative is very competent, making it easy to follow. As culture in general, and jazz in particular, was weaponized to spread American values worldwide, Grimonprez makes a formal gambit, using jazz extensively, not always for story reasons (even though they exist). That informs editor Rik Chaubet’s superb work; the film has a bebop feel to it, mixing archival footage of many origins, stamping words on the screen, making it always easy to follow the origin of the quote. The music, if jazz is one’s groove, is most excellent. The whole, informative and innovative, is rather powerful.