7 piano sketches, a short film, written by André 3000 and Graham Mason, (who also directed the film) is exclusively streaming on MUBI. The short is inspired and set to the music of André’s acclaimed 2025 EP of the same name. The film follows André as he journeys to work, armed with a piano strapped to his back and a notebook full of sketches in hand. In his travels, he encounters a series of characters, each with their own unique identifiers, that complement the piano he carries with him.
An ode to art, connection, and the human experience, 7 piano sketches is quirky in its style, drawing on comedic elements of the silent film era, yet melancholic and introspective in its story. A lighthearted coping with the passing of time and the yearning to create.
“The original title for it was ‘The Best Worst Rap Album In History’,” said André about the EP upon its release last year. “‘It’s jokingly the worst rap album in history because there are no lyrics on it at all. It’s the best because it’s the free-est emotionally and best I’ve felt personally. It’s the best because it’s like a palette cleanser for me.’”
The EP which soundtracks the short film is a collection of instrumental music recorded solo on the piano. Partially composed and recorded prior to the globally lauded New Blue Sun, which earned André three GRAMMY nominations including Album Of The Year, the beginnings of 7 piano sketches came about almost a decade ago, whilst staying in a house in Texas with his son that had only a piano, their beds and TV screens.
Watch “7 Piano Sketches” on MUBI, a global streaming service, production company and film distributor dedicated to elevating great cinema.
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