I won’t lie to you. There was a reluctance to watch a movie about a child prodigy piano player after a long Wednesday, but I was very pleasantly surprised.
The wonderful thing about this job is the experience to watch films I usually wouldn’t have access to. It therefore never ceases to amaze me just how many diversified and personalised stories exist within the stratosphere of creatives and dreamers. So, in reference to my opening statement - yes, I did sit down, chocolate chip muffin and Pasito in hand, doubting someone’s capability to make piano playing at all interesting to me. And then we’re five minutes in and she’s swapping babies at the hospital, my mouth is open (mid taking a bite into a muffin) and I’m yelling, “Don't you dare do it!”
'GOD OF THE PIANO' TRAILER
‘God of the Piano,’ directed by Itay Tal, is the story of Anat (Naama Preis, 'Voice Over', 'Heroine'). Her father is a pianist, both as a technician and composer. He is high up on the board for a famous institute, and in an attempt to fulfil her own unachieved dream, Anat conditions her son (that she swapped at the hospital) to become a prodigy and earn the acceptance of her father.
This film combines the dysfunction of family, acceptance and guilt. It explores the haunting of our past choices and the harsh journey that comes with trying to earn something that will never exist. It’s a great psychological piece and works well with its character arc to convey the ease of slipping into self-destruction.
It’s a great psychological piece and works well with its character arc to convey the ease of slipping into self-destruction.
Mostly, it exemplifies the journey that comes from looking for validation from others, when inner peace could be faster achieved by finding worth within ourselves. What’s even better, it's all done through the metaphor of classical music and piano playing. It’s always refreshing to step into the world of others - and this one certainly combines culture and art.