United Kingdom 2023, 101 min, English, Hebrew & English subtitles
Until recently, Fanny Mendelssohn was absent from the history books, overshadowed by her famous composer brother and excluded from the male-dominated world of classical music. But the world is finally recognizing that Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was not the only genius in his family, and the comprehensive biopic directed by Sheila Hayman, a descendant of this talented family, is the definitive proof of this. The film weaves a story about a woman whose music was her agency and voice, and whose compositions were the gifts she bravely shared with the world. Some were even “borrowed” by her brother, with whom she had a loving but complicated relationship. The film gathers an entire army of her fans—musicologists, historians, musicians, and singers—determined to rescue “the other Mendelssohn” from oblivion by recovering her legacy. The result is an uplifting rhapsody interspersed with animations, shadow puppetry, and, naturally, wonderful music that challenges the canon.
Previous Festivals: DOCNYC, FIPADOC, Hollywood International Diversity Film Festival
Arts and Culture Music Women Change Makers