BİRDMAN or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), performed by Antonio Sánchez

Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu
79 mins

BİRDMAN (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a black comedy that tells the story of an actor (Michael Keaton)—famous for portraying an iconic superhero—as he struggles to mount a Broadway play. In the days leading up to opening night, he battles his ego and attempts to recover his family, his career, and himself.

Grammy-winning composer Antonio Sánchez will present a special live-score screening of the Best Picture Oscar®-winning film BİRDMAN or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) as part of the official program of 15th Anniversary International Jazz Day celebrations in Chicago. The original score for BİRDMAN consists entirely of solo jazz percussion written and performed by Sánchez. Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu has stated that the music helped structure the film’s scenes and that “the drums, for me, were a great way to find the rhythm of the film…”. Sánchez’s BİRDMAN performances, in which he performs live alongside a screening of the film, have been regarded by The Guardian as “[injecting] a vitality that maps out the emotions of the film’s characters with precision…” Despite this precision, each performance remains completely unique as Sánchez’s performance is largely improvisational. Immediately following the screening, a moderated Q&A with Antonio Sánchez will take place.

Language: English with Spanish subtitles