Memphis

Just the word ‘Memphis’ conjures up vivid imagery: of old blues pickers, of the rolling Mississippi river, of intense religious belief. All of these elements crop up in writer-director Tim Sutton’s second feature, the tale of a musician searching for a creative inspiration that’ll get his career back on track. But this is no straightforward biopic. Produced on a grant from the Venice Biennale, ‘Memphis’ is as influenced by European art cinema as it is by American musical tradition. Looking at stills from the movie we’re instantly reminded of David Gordon Green’s bewitching debut ‘George Washington’, which promises a great deal for this low-budget tale of life on the fringes.