THE WALKMAN WAR

In the early 1970s, between Sao Paulo, Milan, London and Germany, Andreas Pavel invents the “Stereobelt” – the world’s very first portable music player. When the Japanese brand Sony launches its now-iconic Walkman in 1979, a legal battle begins. For more than twenty years, it pits an unknown inventor against one of the most powerful electronics corporations in the world.

Throughout this extraordinary trial, Pavel defends the vision he had brought to life – that of a humanity set free by a device that would allow people to listen to music anywhere, anytime – nearly ten years before Sony introduced the Walkman. Convinced that the company used his patents without any permission or acknowledgment, he takes them to court. How did this forgotten inventor, fighting against a multinational giant, manage to reclaim his rights?

Today, Pavel looks back on this little-known battle, grating access to his personal archives. Now released from their confidentiality obligations, lawyers from both sides reveal what truly took place behind the scenes. Through this modern-day David versus Goliath, the film uncovers the true origins of an invention that revolutionized our relationship with music.