Pressroom
They Came To Play
THEY CAME TO PLAY
Opens Friday, August 13th
at Producers' Club INDIEHOUSE, the newest addition to
Manhattan's arthouse cinemas
Life comes between us and our dreams.
Sometimes, we are lucky enough to be reunited.
They Came to Play is a multi-award-winning, uplifting feature-length documentary chronicling the International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, hosted by The Van Cliburn Foundation.
Top amateur pianists from all over the world, ranging from self-taught to classically-trained, aged thirty-five to almost eighty, convene in Fort Worth, Texas for a week of competition, music and camaraderie.
Entertaining and above all, inspiring, the film provides an intimate look into the lives of these colorful, multi-faceted competitors as they strive to balance the demands of work and family with their love of music. Years of dedicated preparation culminate in top-level performances before a professional jury and discerning audience during three nerve-wracking elimination rounds.
All of the film's heroes have made their careers outside of music in fields ranging from medicine to business, and professional tennis to education. For competitors who have faced such extraordinary challenges as drug addiction, AIDS, or political asylum, the competition is also a triumph over adversity. For all, it represents an overwhelming desire to express a deeper side of themselves, musically and otherwise.
Commentary from noted American pianist Van Cliburn and gold medalists from the Foundation’s professional competition, along with outstanding performances of great classical masterworks—from Beethoven to Alkan and from Rachmaninoff to Barber—complement the action in a film that celebrates the creator and the competitor in each of us.
They Came to Play will be distributed by Area23a and is an 88 Films production directed by Alex Rotaru, produced by Lori Miller, and executive produced by Ronnie Planalp. It features amateur pianists including Esfir Ross, Dr. Drew Mays, Clark Griffith, and Annette Dimedio.
They Came to Play starts its commercial New York theatrical run on Friday, August 13th at the Producers' Club INDIEHOUSE theatre, the latest addition to Manhattan’s arthouse cinemas. INDIEHOUSE is located in midtown Manhattan, at 358 West 44 Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. INDIEHOUSE opens Friday, July 16th with Marta Mondelli’s debut feature film "The Contenders."
You can also access the trailer at www.theycametoplay.com.
Running Time: 91 minutes
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