Combining the music of Chopin with digital animation, this short film artfully defines pianist Janina Fialkowska’s imprint in the world of classical music and beyond. Particles of light choreograph themselves to reveal otherworldly beauty, channelling the pianist’s explosive performance.
Produced by the National Film Board of Canada in co-operation with the National Arts Centre and the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation on the occasion of the 2012 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards.
Ages 15 to 17
Arts Education - Art
Arts Education - Music
Media Education - Film Animation
Social Studies - Contemporary Issues
The film’s narrator comments that beauty (in the form of music) can “counterbalance… horror.” As a class, discuss examples of how people have used art to heal, or other activities that bring serenity or comfort in contexts of despair. Analyze images in the film and experiment with related techniques in visual art or film. Have students create multimedia projects superimposing beauty with horror, manipulating contrasts of sound, images, etc., to achieve a balanced effect. Discuss the projects as a class.