And The Beat Goes On: “Alive In France” Featuring Music By Well-Known Composer Joe Delia To Premiere At Cannes Film Festival

The soundtracks of the Hamptons own Joe Delia, television and film composer extraordinaire, along with long-time collaborator, Paul Hipp, will be included in the Directors’ Fortnight films premiering at the Cannes Film Festival. This is hardly a maiden festival for Delia, whose background in the music industry is legendary.

The film is a documentary about and by director Abel Ferrara entitled, Alive in France, and focuses on the music trio’s (including Delia’s wife PJ) Autumn 2016 tour of France. “The film is full of insights into the process as cameras constantly follow Abel, Joe, Paul and the others touring and encountering the unpredictable,” reveals PJ.

Joe tells us, “The film, Alive in France, documents the friendship and musical collaboration between myself, Abel Ferrara and Paul Hipp. The film allows the audience a glimpse into our creative process as well as our mutual love of family, friends and music.”

PJ and Joe Delia.

Joe’s haunting and atmospheric film scores have entertained audiences for years, and he has two gold and one platinum records. His keyboards have kept many on their feet, and his prolific composing for both television and film have created an instantly recognizable Delia sound. Film and television credits include, among others, the Emmy Award-winning ten-part series Lost Civilizations for NBC/Time Life; the History Channel’s Digging for the Truth, National Lampoon films to NOVA and National Geographic Series. His new band “Thieves” is well-known throughout the Hamptons and NYC metropolitan area.

Ferrara (a director whose career spans more than four decades, including cult favorite 1992’s Bad Lieutenant starring Harvey Keitel) has used Delia to score his films for many years, including Bad Lieutenant.

According to PJ, “Alive in France includes showing strategizing, scouting, traveling and performing with actresses, including Abel’s wife, Christina Chiriac, Dounia Sichov (who is also in another film at the Festival)” and PJ herself (a Montauk native and former radio personality).

PJ continues, “It was a very natural experience for Joe and me to work onstage with Abel. He’s a creative force wherever he goes. That dynamic completely translates on stage and, of course, Joe and Abel have worked closely together for decades. They have a rhythm.”

Since 1969, the Directors’ Fortnight films have been an important part of the prestigious film festival, and will continue on to Marseille, Paris, Geneva, Rome, Milan, Florence and Brussels.

The Directors’ Fortnight runs from Thursday, May 18 through Sunday, May 28 in Cannes with the premiere of Alive in France scheduled for Saturday, May 20, and will be shown four times.

An added treat for attendees at the Festival will be a live performance by Ferrara, Hipp, the Delias, Chiriac and Sichov, and French drummer, Laurent Bechad. Joe Delia has premiered with Ferrara at many festivals, including numerous performances at both Cannes, as well as the Sundance Film Festival.

For more information on Joe and PJ Delia, visit www.joedelia-thieves.com, and for more on Abel Ferrara, visit www.abelferrara.com.