Review: ‘They’ll Have to Kill Us First’ underscores the courage of Mali’s musicians

The music of Mali has long been a source of fascination and inspiration for Western artists — including Britpop star Damon Albarn, who produced a compilation of some of the country’s gritty, polyrhythmic pop songs in 2002.

But in global hot spots a lot can change in a hurry. In 2012, the northern Malian separatist movement known as MNLA (National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad) allied with some armed, radically fundamentalist Islamists to forge a new state. When the dust cleared, ordinary citizens found themselves subjugated by a theocracy that outlawed radios and musical performances.

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Johanna Schwartz’s documentary “They Will Have to Kill Us First” doesn’t offer much of a primer on Mali’s political or cultural histories — which is the movie’s biggest weakness. But Schwartz did capture some remarkable footage of musicians who’ve spent the last few years taking tentative steps to reclaim what makes their nation special.

The documentary follows multiple stories. In the southern city of Bamako, four refugees form a band called Songhoy Blues, which becomes an international sensation with the help of Albarn and guitarist Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Elsewhere, other exiled performers — including popular singer Khaira and an enterprising woman named Disco — bide their time in exile, hoping to head home.

Because Mali is still unsettled, “They Will Have to Kill Us First” doesn’t tell these musicians’ stories so much as it just drops in on them for a while. Schwartz cuts between interviews, performances and footage of the dodgy situation that persists in cities like Timbuktu, where militants have posted a sign warning visitors that they’ll have to submit to sharia law.

Mostly, the film documents how a rich musical tradition continues to captivate listeners around the world even as its practitioners are struggling at home. As Schwartz shows Khaira risking her life to sing to the countrymen who love her, it’s a stirring reminder of how our common need for simple joys continues to be a potent weapon against totalitarianism.

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‘They Will Have to Kill Us First’

No rating

Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Playing: Laemmle Monica Film Center, Santa Monica