Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story

It all started some 50 years ago, when the white bank clerk Jim Stewart and his sister Estelle Axton took over an old movie theatre in a predominantly black neighbourhood of Memphis to start a music studio. At first they concentrated on country music, but soon soul and R&B artists became the leading talent of the studio and the associated record label. The studio owners ignored the growing segregation and racism, enabling musicians from different cultural backgrounds to find each other in their music. They achieved successes with the band Booker T & the MG's, a mix of black and white musicians. One of the most prominent artists was Otis Redding. His songs "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay," "Respect," and other hit singles like "Soul Man" and "Midnight Hour" belong to Stax's legendary track record of hits. Redding's untimely death in 1967, coupled with legal and financial problems, contributed to the company's bankruptcy in 1975. Incorporating interviews, music, and unique archive footage, Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story tells the story of the rise and fall of Stax. It also reflects a turbulent period in the history of segregation in the United States. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)