Corbijn Sessions #2: “Control” film screening with Tõnis Kahu

Corbijn Sessions at Fotografiska

Corbijn Sessions is a music-focused special program accompanying the entire Anton Corbijn exhibition at Fotografiska. It showcases a mix of large and small, intimate and crowded, intense and vibrant Corbijn experiences, including parties, DJ sets, performances, film screenings, workshops, special tours, and more.

“Control” film screening with Tõnis Kahu

On 5 February, the Corbijn Sessions will feature Anton Corbijn’s cult film Control, which tells the story of Ian Curtis, the late lead singer of Joy Division. The screening will be introduced by cultural critic and pop culture lecturer Tõnis Kahu.

The film will be shown in Anton Corbijn’s exhibition hall on the 2nd floor of Fotografiska. Watching the film surrounded by Corbijn’s work offers a unique perspective on both cinema and photographic art.

Film: Control

Duration: 2h 2min

Director: Anton Corbijn

Genre: Drama

Cast: Samantha Morton, Sam Riley, Alexandra Maria Lara, Joe Anderson, Toby Kebbell

The black-and-white biographical drama Control is based on the book Touching from a Distance, written by Deborah Curtis about the life of her husband, Ian Curtis. Joy Division was active in the late 1970s and recorded several albums, but Ian Curtis’s struggles with epilepsy and emotional turmoil, compounded by his relationships with two women, led him to take his life at the age of 23—before the band fully rose to fame. Nevertheless, nearly every British band cites Joy Division as a key influence.

Since the film’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007, Control has been regarded as the year of Joy Division, coinciding with the release of rare tracks in collector-style compilations.

The soundtrack features mostly Joy Division recordings, alongside covers of Curtis’s songs by contemporary bands (e.g., The Killers) and music from his era (David Bowie, T. Rex, and others). Control was Anton Corbijn’s first feature film; he had previously directed a few music videos for Joy Division.

Source: kino.ee

Anton Corbijn at Fotografiska: 24 January – 30 April

Anton Corbijn’s distinctive style has strongly shaped the visual language of modern music and culture. His major retrospective, Corbijn, Anton, spans five decades of creative work. Each frame in the exhibition features a figure rendered in Corbijn’s signature moody style, someone who is at once familiar and mysterious.

With over 150 works on display, the exhibition offers an authentic and extraordinary glimpse into a world inhabited by icons like Depeche Mode, David Bowie, U2, Patti Smith, and many others—artists who have left their mark, and whose mark Corbijn has captured.

The experience is enhanced by a powerful video room featuring Corbijn’s videography and iconic music videos that have influenced generations. Corbijn’s legacy in music and visual culture is undeniable, and this exhibition celebrates that enduring impact.