An intimate coming-of-age documentary portrait of young pianists taking part in the legendary International Chopin Piano Competition. A unique chance of the lifetime portrayed from the backstage. An emotional rollercoaster with Chopin’s music in the background.
Offering a rare behind the scenes look backstage at the triumphant highs and crushing lows of competition, filmmaker Jakub Piatek captures the intense pressure these musicians face in an experience that combines tears of exhaustion and despair with the ecstatic joy of playing. Pianoforte is both a testament to the power of remarkable music and an intimate coming-of-age portrait of an eclectic group of young musicians from around the world navigating the rigors of competition, intense practice sessions, new friendships, lots of drama, and even more nerves.
Director Biography
Jakub Piatek is an award-winning filmmaker who graduated from the Polish National Film School in Lódz. He directed the short films “Mother” (2009) and “Users” (2018), the feature Prime Time (2021), and the documentaries One Man Show (2014) and Pianoforte (2023).