Mary Lattimore x 'Old Joy' - VIDEODROOM 2026

A ‘slow cinema’ classic from 2006 gets a one-time new musical jacket by harpist Mary Lattimore. The official opening film of Videodroom 2026 promises to be a unique event. We celebrate the 20th anniversary of ‘Old Joy’, the intimate and melancholic road movie by American director Kelly Reichardt. The latter gave us permission to show this indie classic ‘for one night and one night only’ with a brand-new live score. None other than celebrated harpist Mary Lattimore will bring a new score for the film with her dreamy and meditative compositions. ‘Old Joy’ follows two old friends, played by Daniel London and iconic singer-songwriter Will Oldham aka Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, who have lost sight of each other somewhat in recent years, on a camping trip. Along the way, they drink beers, shoot at cans, and there are long, meaningful silences. In itself, not much happens, but between the lines, a beautiful and poetic portrait of a tense friendship, broken future dreams, and long-lost pasts unfolds. Reichardt put herself at the forefront of American independent cinema with this bittersweet sketch that continues to resonate long after the last image and continues to raise questions. With renowned films such as ‘Meek's Cuttoff’ and ‘First Cow’, each made with limited budgets, filmed on location, and without big names, Reichardt grew into one of the most prominent American directors of the past 20 years. The original soundtrack of ‘Old Joy’ by indie darlings Yo La Tengo can be locked away for one night and is replaced by the intimate music of Mary Lattimore. Since her debut ‘The Redrawing Room’ from 2013, she has been an integral part of the American experimental folk scene. She has worked with artists such as Kurt Vile, Meg Baird, Harold Budd, Thurston Moore, Sharon Van Etten, Jarvis Cocker, Steve Gunn, Julianna Barwick, Fursaxa… Her music goes from delicate and dreamy to complex and overwhelming. A virtuoso musician who can juggle countless effect pedals live but can just as easily make her harp - stripped of all electronics - sing like no other.