Synopsis

In 1850, Robert Schumann, his wife Clara and their five children settle down in Duesseldorf where he has accepted a position as musical director. For the musician who is considered more as one of the world’s greatest composer than a conductor, it turns to be a bad decision. Nor is it a happy period for Clara, who is reduced to the role of housewife instead of acclaimed concert pianist performing throughout Europe to sold-out halls. That is, until she meets young, brilliant Brahms. Clara and Brahms fall for one another. Robert, who is sick and suffering from severe depression, attempts to drown himself in the river Rhine on Carnival Monday. His life is saved and he commits himself to a sanatorium. The relationship between Brahms, who cares for the family financially, and Clara grows even more intense. When Robert dies two years later, all the obstacles seem to have disappeared for them. Clara, however, refuses to marry again as Robert’s shadow still weighs too heavy on her. Instead, she decides to play his and Brahms’ music in the world’s concert halls, expressing her feelings for him and for the moments of darkness they both experienced with Robert. She suspects that she can only be an artist if she remains independent. The dramatic love triangle – also a treat for the ears for music lovers and a feast for the eyes for fans of decorative and costume cinema – was filmed with the same man with whom the director worked on Germany, Pale Mother, director of photography, Jüergen Jüerges.

감독

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  • 헬마 잔더스 브람스
  • 1940년 출생한 헬마 잔더스 브람스 감독은 쾰른에서 독문학과 영문학을 공부했다. 1967년부터 2년 간 파졸리니 감독의 밑에서 수학하고 1970년 다큐멘터리와 극영화를 제작하기 위한 본인의 제작사를 설립했다. 그러던 중 1975년, 68사태의 영향을 사랑 이야기로 풀어낸 <포장도로 밑의 해변>으로 유럽 내 큰 반향을 일으켰다. 이후 1980년에 발표한 <독일, 창백한 어머니>는 베를린영화제를 비롯 유수의 영화제에서 상영되면서 현재 독일영화의 고전으로 평가 받고 있다.