Pianomania

A smash in Europe and winner of the Golden Gate Award for Best Feature Documentary at the San Francisco International Film Festival, Pianomania comes at last to theaters in the United States. Directed by Lilian Franck and Robert Cibis, the film takes you into the secret world of sounds – a place where passion and the pursuit of perfection collide with artistic obsession and a little bit of madness.

As Steinway & Sons’ chief technician and Master Tuner in Vienna, Stefan Knüpfe is dedicated to the unusual task of pairing world-class instruments with world-famous pianists. Juggling the demands of the pianist, the piano, and the piece to find the perfect match requires boundless enthusiasm, but also endless patience and nerves of steel. No detail is too small or too inconsequential for Knüpfe, not even the tiniest speck of dust on a piano string.

Tensions run high as performances loom while the pianists adamantly demand that pianos be
tuned and re-tuned endlessly. Knüpfer is everywhere, from helping prepare Pierre-Laurent Aimard for a seminal recording of Bach’s works to making sure Lang Lang has a bench sturdy enough to withstand his physical playing style. With a commitment and understanding of sound as powerful as the musicians paired with a rather mad sense of humor, Stefan somehow manages to help them achieve perfection.

Lilian Franck has been producing and directing films for the international market for the past ten years. Her first feature length film was Jesus Loves You. Pianomania is her second. Robert Cibis co-directed Disgustingly Healthy with Michaela Kirst and was awarded the Ekotopfilm 2007 prize. Both also worked on the film Human Capital. They also attended the Film Academy in Baden-Württemberg in addition to other European and American film programs.

"Enthralling." – The Financial Times (London)

"An excellent film. In keeping with its subject matter, this high-minded documentary has elegance and exactitude...Knüpfer is a thoroughly engaging personality." – Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian UK