Release Year: 2009 | Directed by: Alex Rotaru
Produced by: Lori Miller
THEY CAME TO PLAY is a documentary about the International Amateur Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, hosted by the Van Cliburn Foundation. With humor and drama, it portrays several multi-talented amateur pianists as they strive to balance their work, home and musical lives. Many of them have overcome extraordinary challenges — like drug addiction, AIDS, heartbreak, or political asylum — and they all share an overwhelming need to express themselves, musically and otherwise. Their intense preparation comes to a climax during the week-long competition, when they perform in front of a professional jury and discerning audience, in three highly competitive elimination rounds.
New York Times Critics’ Pick!
“Beautifully executed…you can feel the joy and surprise that must have gone through the concert hall and the winner.” – Neil Genzlinger, New York Times
“I fell in love with the brilliantly talented ‘amateurs’ I got to know in this movie; I was inspired by them and proud of them. No screenwriter could come up with a feeler-gooder movie than this one!” – David Pogue, The New York Times
“Delightful and disarming” – Ronnie Scheib, Variety
“…a wonderful and inspiring chronicle of amateur musicians with a lust for life that is truly infectious.” -Bryant Manning, Chicago Sun Times
Winner
Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival Audience Award
Bucharest’s B-EST International Film Festival
SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival