Conceived in 1996 to champion the music video as a legitimate art form (and who can argue with the groundbreaking work by directors such as Mark Romanek, Spike Jonze and Jonathan Glazer?), the EIFF’s Mirrorball strand this year boasts an international selection of music promos, documentaries and retrospectives.

Having already garnered acclaim from several film festivals worldwide, Before The Music Dies is a satirical, polemical insight into the American music industry in an era of celebrity-hunting, homogenized pop where real American music and real talent is left shamefully (and at times willfully) untapped. Contributions come from fans, journalists and musicians and live performances from artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Calexico and Dave Matthews.

The video for Cat Power’s gospel-tinged ‘Living Proof’ is one of the highlights of Fresh Tracks (15 Aug) which showcases some of the most eye-catching UK and US promos of the past year. Standout pieces from the Global Selection (17 Aug) include the brilliant homemade video for Chicago four-piece OK Go’s ‘A Million Ways’. Boundlessly inventive creations from Japanese artists such as Nagi Noda are showcased in Made in Japan (16 Aug).

Mirrorball also features a retrospective of the work of production company Colonel Blimp (17 Aug). Hollywood glamour rolls up in the shapely form of Charlize Theron who presents her acclaimed Cuban rappers documentary East of Havana (18 Aug) fresh from its success at South by Southwest. (Pasquale Iannone)

Before the Music Dies, Cineworld, 623 8030, 16 Aug, 5.15pm, £7.95 (£5.20).