The Silence Before Bach (2007)

Blending historical reconstruction with very loosely linked 'dramatic' scenes and documentary sequences, the film constitutes a playful, painterly sequence of variations on the argument ... See full summary »

Director:

Pere Portabella

Writers:

Xavier Albertí, Pere Portabella

Stars:

Christian Atanasiu, Féodor Atkine, George-Christoph Biller

4 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Christian Atanasiu	...	Mayordomo
Féodor Atkine	...	Vendedor de pianos
George-Christoph Biller	...	Self
Christian Brembeck	...	J. S. Bach
Alex Brendemühl	...	Camioner (as Àlex Brendemühl)
Georgina Cardona	...	Violonchelista
Lucien Dekoster	...	Afinador de pianos
Beatriz Ferrer-Salat	...	Amazona
José Pedro García Balada	...	(as J. Pedro García Balada)
Gertrud Kossler	...	Clienta
Bert Kripstädt	...	Camarero
Lina Lambert	...	Madre de Mendelssohn
Daniel Ligorio	...	F. Mendelssohn
Jordi Llordella	...	Amigo de Mendelssohn
Ferran Ruiz	...	Hijo de Bach

Storyline

Blending historical reconstruction with very loosely linked 'dramatic' scenes and documentary sequences, the film constitutes a playful, painterly sequence of variations on the argument that Johann Sebastian changed the way the world hears thanks to his extraordinary ear for harmony.

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Plot Keywords:

shower | subway | singer | piano | organ | 

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Genres:

Musical

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Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in General Report II. The New Abduction of Europe (2015)

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Soundtracks

Prelude in A minor, BWV 543
Written by Johann Sebastian Bach

User Reviews

A film on pure beauty

A truly cinematographic film about beauty in its purest forms: Bach's music, silence, human conversation, the human body, music instruments... Everything is shown with good taste, as if everything could represent beauty itself, even mechanical devices, old river boats or trucks painted with religious icons.

The movie itself is conceived as a music work: tensions are created and released (or not) or reformulated, there are visual leit motivs and textual leit motivs (for instance, the same words spoken by two different characters, centuries apart, in different scenes). There are reflections on music, on its formal aspect, on its almost divine reach.

A film about music through music, about beauty through beauty, self-referential and self- conscious. Humble, austere, simple and witty at the same time, like Bach's variations or Vermeer's paintings: cinematographic poetry can not get much better than that.

Too bad if it is not released on DVD: the producers and director should think better. Some people don't go to cinema just because they are ill or unluckily confined: they, too, have the right to enjoy a work of art. Isn't the director a left-wing intellectual?

Details

Official Sites:

Medula Films [France] Official site

Country:

Spain

Language:

French Italian Spanish German Catalan

Release Date:

21 December 2007 (Spain)

Also Known As:

The Silence Before Bach

Filming Locations:

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

EUR1,400,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$426,456

Company Credits

Production Co:

Films 59

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1