The 52nd International Emmy Awards ceremony took place in New York on Monday.
Directed by Jakub Piątek, Pianoforte offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the 2021 International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.
The film follows five participants: Leonora Armellini and Michelle Candotti from Italy; Russian-Armenian pianist Eva Gevorgyan; Poland’s Marcin Wieczorek; and Hao Rao from China.
Italian pianist Leonora Armellini performs during the second stage of the 18th International Chopin Competition at the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, Oct. 10, 2021. Photo: Polish Radio/PR2
Piątek selected the protagonists a few months before the competition, guided by his documentary instincts and intuition.
The 90-minute film portrays the pianists as they navigate the mounting stress of performing before audiences, manage interactions with PR agencies, and find ways to relax under pressure.
Other nominees in the Arts Programming category included productions from Britain (Robbie Williams), Argentina (Virgilio) and Japan (Who I Am Life).
Pianoforte premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in the United States last year.
Born in 1985, Piątek graduated from the Polish National Film School in Łódź. Before studying directing, he worked as a journalist and cultural manager.
His feature fiction debut Prime Time premiered at Sundance in 2021.
(mk/gs)