CPH:DOX 2026 - Sun Ra: Do The Impossible

Once upon a time, an alien landed on Earth, sent from Saturn to change the fate of the planet and humanity. That's how Sun Ra explained his own origins. The visionary jazz musician was many things: poet, philosopher, Egyptologist, cosmologist, and, of course, bandleader. With his Arkestra orchestra in perpetual flux, he produced more than 200 albums(!), which expanded the boundaries of free jazz and connected mystical aesthetics, philosophy, and science in a groundbreaking Afro-futuristic vision.

His life was simply one long art performance in itself. Director Christine Turner takes us on this intergalactic journey through Sun Ra's many facets via memories from the Arkestra's loyal members, insightful music researchers, and unforgettable film and concert recordings. The result is a thought-provoking portrait of an artist whose bold vision, otherworldly imagination, and uncompromising talent influenced not only the sound of jazz and black identity in the United States, but also the cultural landscape of the 20th century—and will undoubtedly resonate far into the future he himself was so preoccupied with.