Product Review

•Moving and authentic documentary with lots of archive material, this is an important document of the Stalin era •The documentary shows the cruelty of the suppression in the Stalin era as well as the cruelty of World War II and the siege of Leningrad •It shows Shostakovich's desperate struggle to survive in this totalitarian regime •Interview partners such as Valery Gergiev give a valuable insight into the life of this iconic Russian artist •With key extracts from the symphonies, conducted by Valery Gergiev •The film is a testimony of how the arts can and must be a significant weapon against totalitarianism and extremism A Film by Larry Weinstein With: Netherland Radio Philharmonic · Kirov Orchestra · Valery Gergiev