SXSW Film Review: Give Me Future

Few people would categorize Major Lazer’s style of rump-thumping global EDM as protest music, but Give Me Future proves that even the most fist-pumping party tunes become political when they reach the shores of Cuba.

In March of 2016, Major Lazer performed in front of 400,000 people at the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Platform in Cuba. Located across the street from the U.S. Embassy, for years the space served as a government rally site before hosting public events. No other international electronic act this big had ever performed in Cuba, which encouraged media fanfare ranging from a roundtable with Cuban musicians to a fly-in interview by Charlie Rose.

Although Give Me Future carefully avoids direct criticism of the Cuban government, it’s impossible to tell the story of staging the concert without creeping into political territory. To better familiarize Cubans with Major Lazer’s hits like “Lean On,” promoters broke past the country’s strict internet regulation by distributing their music via ubiquitous underground piracy flash drives called “paquetes.” On stage, a surprise guest appearance by a Cuban rapper is canceled at the last minute for fear of government reprisal. Diplo is ordered to keep his shirt on, at least until the final song.

For Major Lazer fans, the amount of behind-the-scenes footage of the trio of Diplo, Jillionaire, and Walshy Fire will be enough of a draw in itself. Diplo lives up to his reputation as an international party boy, cracking jokes at every opportunity, but tempering them with a genuine reverence for the task at hand.

There’s little insight into the workings of their performances, but the real stars of the film aren’t Diplo and co., rather it’s the people of Cuba. The documentary shines when it turns the camera onto ordinary Cubans expressing the massive significance of welcoming such youthful superstars to perform. Regardless of how you feel about tunes like “Light It Up,” there’s no denying how happy these 400,000 Cubans look jumping up and down to Major Lazer’s beats. It’s a reminder that although Cuba still feels like it’s a world away, its future is just around the corner.

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Give Me Future

24 Beats Per Second
Wednesday, March 15, 4pm, Zach Theatre
Friday, March 17, 4:30pm, Alamo Lamar B