Music documentary 'Step Across the Border'

Nicolas Humbert & Werner Penzel: 1990 Step Across the Border

Cast: Fred Frith, Joey Baron, Cyro Baptista, Iva Bittová, Tom Cora, Jean Derome, Pavel Fajt, Charles Hayward, Tim Hodgkinson, Arto Lindsay, René Lussier, Bob Ostertag, Zeena Parkins, John Zorn, Jonas Mekas

Avant-garde document about music avant-garde

Step Across the Border is a 1990 avant-garde documentary film on English guitarist, composer and improviser Fred Frith. It was written and directed by Nicolas Humbert and Werner Penzel and released in Germany and Switzerland. The film was screened in cinemas in North America, South America, Europe and Japan and on television in the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and France. It was also released on VHS by RecRec Music (Switzerland) in 1990, and was later released on DVD by Winter & Winter (Germany) in 2003.

Shot in black and white, the 35mm documentary was filmed between 1988 and 1990 in Japan, Italy, France, Germany, England, the United States and Switzerland, and shows Frith rehearsing, performing, giving interviews and relaxing. Other musicians featured include René Lussier, Iva Bittová, Tom Cora, Tim Hodgkinson, Bob Ostertag and John Zorn.

The film won "Best Documentary" at the European Film Awards in 1990. A companion "soundtrack" album, Step Across the Border was also released by RecRec Music in 1990.