An accomplished concert pianist, Clara is reduced to household duties when genius composer Robert Schumann, her alcoholic, mentally unstable husband, takes a musical director’s post in Düsseldorf. Clara’s life changes dramatically when she watches young composer Johannes Brahms play for the first time. Entranced by his brilliant talent, Clara is drawn toward him emotionally as Robert’s condition worsens. With Brahms living in the Schumann house and supporting the family financially, Clara struggles to reconcile her heart with her sense of duty and loyalty. Director Helma Sanders-Brahms is a distant relative of Johannes Brahms.“Art is so possessive, when you get involved with it, it absorbs you. You have to give it everything – everything”, – says director Helma Sanders-Brahms.
About the film
Details
- Running time
- 1 hr. 47 min.
- Country, year
- Germany, France, Hungary, 2008
- Genre
- Drama
- Language
- German
- Subtitles
- Lithuanian, English
- Age rating
- N/A
Credits
- Director
- Helma Sanders-Brahms
- Screenplay
- Helma Sanders-Brahms, Nicole-Lise Bernheim, Colo Tavernier
- Cinematography
- Jürgen Jürges
- Music
- Bugge Wesseltoft
- Cast
- Martina Gedeck, Pascal Greggory, Malik Zidi
- More information
- www.imdb.com
Director
Helma Sanders-Brahms
Helma Sanders-Brahms was born in 1940. She studied drama, German and English literature at the University of Cologne while working as a TV announcer. She released her first movie, “Angelika Urban, salesperson, engaged” at the Oberhausen Film Festival in 1971 where this short documentary won two awards. As a director, she has bravely addressed a wide array of social issues, such as her own parent’s involvement in the Nazi regime and everything from mental illness and labor to feminist critique. So far, nine of her 24 movies have won international awards and no other female film-maker from Germany has had more movies at the Cannes Film Festival.