SWritten by: Jakub Piatek
Cinematography Filip Drózdz
Music: Teoniki Rożynek
Editing: Ula Klimek-Piątek
Cast: Leonora Armellini, Alexander Gadjiev, Eva Gevorgjan, Hyuk Lee
Production: Maciej Kubicki (Telemark)
During the preliminary round, there are 160 of them. Then, about 80. Then 40. At last, only 10 lucky ones make it to the final. These are the contestants in the legendary International Chopin Piano Competition, held every five years in Warsaw, Poland. Pianoforte follows an eclectic group of young musicians from around the world who have been preparing since childhood for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Offering a rare behind-the-scenes look backstage at the triumphant highs and crushing lows of competition, filmmaker Jakub Piatek (Prime Time, 2021 Sundance Film Festival) captures the intense pressure these musicians face in an experience that combines tears of exhaustion and despair with the ecstatic joy of playing.
I think you can label Pianoforte as a coming of age film, because of the ages of the protagonists and the depicted moments in their lives. Because we had a strong engine for the story, we ended up choosing the right people to go down the path with. The same engine generates tension, an aspect which could be considered similar to my previous film, Prime Time.
Premiere of a film by Matej Kejžar
Founder and main co-funder of Cankarjev dom’s Arts and Culture programme
