Forte tells the story of three soloists balancing their lives with competitive music careers
A new ensemble cast documentary, Forte, featuring three successful women navigating the challenging classical music careers, will debut online for the month of March, and will stream for free in honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2021. The film premiered a year ago at the Kennedy Center Justice Forum in Washington, D.C., but the remaining international tour dates were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The film stars Russian-born prodigy Tatiana Berman, manager and entrepreneur Anastasia Boudanoque, composer and pianist Lucia Caruso, and burgeoning Norweigen violinist Elbjorg Hemsing — with appearances by Oscar-winner Tan Dun, Grammy-winner Joann Faletta, and Grammy-winner Paavo Jarvi. The film is directed by internationally acclaimed-filmmaker David Donnelly (Maestro) and produced by Donnelly and Boudanoque.
The issues raised in the film, particularly Berman’s story, have been exacerbated by the pandemic over the last year, as women, especially mothers, have been disproportionately impacted by quarantine measures. Soloists who embark on a traditional path are expected to perform more than 100 concerts a year, forcing many women soloists to choose between motherhood and their career.
Forte is available to stream throughout the month of March, but in honor of International Women’s Day, will be available for free on March 8, 2021, with the passcode WOMEN at www.fortefilm.com. Producer Anastasia Boudanoque is eager to share the film with an American audience, “I think this film is more timely than ever.”
A must-see for musicians and non-musicians alike, Forte is a family-friendly journey detailing perseverance in the globally competitive field of musical performance.