BERLINALE 2018 RIGA, the brand new programme of the RIGA IFF, is showcasing the highlights of the Berlin International Film Festival. One of the most peculiar films in this selection is ‘Shut up and Play the Piano!’ – an insightful and ambitious documentary about the Grammy-winning composer, virtuoso pianist and entertainer Chilly Gonzales.

After making a name as an electro-rapper, Chilly Gonzales (Jason Charles Beck) turned into a creator of quiet sounds on the piano.  Even though he declared himself the president of Berlin’s underground music scene in 2003, the artist managed to attract a new global audience shortly afterwards with the tranquil album Solo Piano.

In his directing debut, Philipp Jedicke blends archive materials with dramatised scenes and interviews with the entertainer’s contemporaries. The thread that runs through the film is an extended conversation between Chilly Gonzales and writer Sibylle Berg, revealing his genius and the sources of his inspiration.