Germany, Austria
Synopsis
PIANOMANIA is a film about perfection, the love of music and perfection combined with a little bit of madness. It’s a journey deep into the secret world of sounds, the everyday life of Stefan Knüpfer, the technical director and master piano tuner at Steinway & Sons. He works together with the best pianists in the world, every day. When Alfred Brendel, Lang Lang or Pierre-Laurent Aimard are taking their seat in front of the grand piano, everything has to be perfect, even the slightest nuance of the tone. Every piano has its own personality and every piece needs a special timbre, each interpretation depends on a different temper. To detect the matching instrument corresponding to the artist’s vision is an art of its own for which a special talent is essential: the rare gift of being able to translate words into musical notes. Out of a unique angle, PIANOMANIA is watching the search for the perfect sound.
Cast & Crew
Directed by: Robert Cibis, Lilian Franck
Nominations and Awards
- European Documentary Award – Prix Arte 2009