Crossing Rachmaninoff

Documentary biopic following Flavio Villani, the Italy-born Auckland concert pianist who returns to his homeland for a nervous concert debut performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2.

"Beginning in Auckland, where Villani arrived at the age of 26 to study performance at Auckland University, the film starts four months before the big night, but incorporates a good measure of his backstory into its countdown to show time. We see him with his own students. We see him rehearsing, performing and taking notes from his mentor, Matteo Napoli. Then it’s time to return to Italy a mere ten days ahead of the performance.

"You may never want to spend another Christmas in the sun once you’ve hung out for a winter evening in the cucina Villani, though there’s something of the prodigal son about this food-filled homecoming. Villani explains the terrible rift with his father, an ex-military man unable to accept that his son is gay or that he could ever make a living playing the piano." (New Zealand International Film Festival)

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