Directed by Philippe Béziat • Documentary • With Jean-François Sivadier, Natalie Dessay • 2012 • 112 minutes
An exhilarating account of the creative process and a rousing, uniquely accessible rendition of Verdi's glorious opera. Director Beziat, known for his innovative documentaries on classical music, trains his cameras on a 2011 production of La Traviata helmed by celebrated stage director Jean-Francois Sivadier.
We get a behind-the-scenes look at such areas as set design and musical direction, but the heart of the film is the intense collaboration between Sivadier and charismatic soprano Natalie Dessay. With an emphasis on stunning, psychologically revealing gestures, they work out a naturalistic, erotic, emotionally direct interpretation of Violetta that is mirrored by the immediacy of the in-rehearsal performances.
Official Selection at the BFI London Film Festival.
"Zeroing in on the art of rehearsal, "BECOMING TRAVIATA" is an exquisitely observed look at performance and the creative process." - Sheri Linden, The Los Angeles Times
Directed by Camille Ménager • Documentary • 2021 • 58 minutes
SEARCHING FOR GERDA TARO celebrates the life and work of Taro — a charismatic Jewish refugee from Germany, an anti-fascist, and a trailblazing photographer whose work would be forgotten for decades.
In 1935, Taro (then going by her b...
Directed by Charles Burnett and Daniel Loewenthal • Documentary • 2018 • 56 minutes
POWER TO HEAL tells a poignant chapter in the historic struggle to secure equal and adequate access to healthcare for all Americans. Central to the story is the tale of how a new national program, Medicare, was u...
Directed by Piero Messina • Drama • With Juliette Binoche, Lou de Laage, Domenico Diele, Antonio Folletto, Corinna Locastro • 2016 • 100 minutes
Stunningly shot and deeply resonant, L’ATTESA heralds the arrival of a talented new voice. With Sicily as his backdrop, Piero Messina (assistant direct...
