"There was Marlene Dietrich, Hildegard Knef, and Nico, the ice-cold sphinx. And there is Mona Mur, Germany’s Queen of Postpunk. Her dazzling career, which brought her together with the likes of En Esch (KMFDM), FM Einheit, Mark Chung and Alexander Hacke (Einstürzende Neubauten), Nikko Weidemann (“Babylon Berlin”), Dieter Meier (Yello), and J.J. Burnel (The Stranglers), is now being captured in a documentary film, by Grimme Award winners Dietmar Post and Lucía Palacios, who were also behind the sensational film ‘Monks: The Transatlantic Feedback‘." Michael Schuh (laut.de)

The 87-minute film follows the career of Hamburg-born Mona Mur, whose journey began in the underground post-punk scene of early ’80s West Germany and has since evolved across a wide range of musical and artistic styles.

Mur’s music spans several genres, from post-punk and industrial to electronica, piano-driven punk ballads, and experimental music—always marked by her unique voice and vision. Throughout her career, she has worked with a diverse array of musicians and collaborators, including En Esch (KMFDM), FM Einheit, Mark Chung and Alexander Hacke (Einstürzende Neubauten), Nikko Weidemann (Babylon Berlin), Dieter Meier (Yello), and J.J. Burnel and Dave Greenfield (The Stranglers), along with film directors Monika Treut, Elfi Mikesch, and Fatih Akin, photographer Ilse Ruppert, and the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra.

The film’s structure is simple yet effective. Mona Mur sits in a studio, where she and filmmaker Dietmar Post engage in an open conversation. A virtual “jukebox” of archival photos, music videos, and performance footage provides the backdrop, guiding their discussion of key moments and themes in her work. The film’s approach is both reflective and personal, with Mur offering candid insights into her career, her creative choices, and the challenges she’s faced along the way.

“Mona Mur in Conversation” reflects the principles of Post and co-producer Lucía Palacios, who have long explored the idea of the “controlled artistic space” or “narrative laboratory,” where storytelling is shaped by both the artist’s own reflections and the material that prompts them. With wit and clarity, Mur speaks not just about music, but about what it means to stay true to one’s artistic vision. The film is a thoughtful and engaging exploration of an artist who has remained committed to her own path, refusing to conform to expectations and constantly evolving her craft.

UNERHÖRT Music Documentary Film Festivals writes:
The UNERHÖRT! audience award 2024 goes to the film Mona Mur in Conversation by Dietmar Post. The 86-minute film traces the biography of the Hamburg-born artist’s work to date, the stages of self-determined creativity that began in West Germany’s early 80s post-punk scene. A cleverly constructed set-up combines speaking in front of the camera, off-camera questions and illustrative visual and audio material to create a captivating narrative of a life lived according to her own ideas without concessions – presented in a dry, straightforward, self-conscious and eloquent manner by a great artist to be (re)discovered. The fact that the film, completed only two days before its screening, received an award from the audience in its protagonist’s hometown the day after its world premiere, can only be described as an amazing feat.

Well-known German filmmaker Elfi Mikesch writes:
"The film ‘Mona Mur in Conversation‘ shows Mona Mur as an impressive musician and artist with a thoughtful, humorous character. It reveals how the path of steadfastness is not easy. The concept for the film is perfectly realised. A green chair against a red background and a screen. Pure simplicity, no distractions, and it’s mesmerizing: Mona Mur and her story. Her life and work. The highs and the lows. The beauty. Music runs through her in every fibre, breath, rhythm, and in her voice. Her body and movements. Accented by her smile and sensuality. She’s magnetic. The live concert in the Galilee church was wonderful. A pianist at the grand, electric guitar: brilliant."

Official movie site: https://playloud.org/monamur/mona-mur-in-conversation/
IMDb (check reviews): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34554826/
Listen and/or purchase the movie soundtrack: https://orcd.co/monamurinconversationsoundtrack
Purchase movie poster: https://www.playloud.org/archiveandstore/en/merchandising/891-mona-mur-in-conversation-film-poster.html