During the preliminary round, there are 160 of them. Then, about 90. Then 45. At last, only 12 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 prepared since they were children 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 Piątek (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. PIANOFORTE is both a testament to the power of remarkable music and an intimate coming-of-age portrait of young pianists navigating the rigors of competition, intense practice sessions, new friendships, lots of drama, and even more nerves.