Description
Under Stalin’s rule, composer Dmitri Shostakovich lived with the constant threat of denunciation, imprisonment and death. Tony Palmer’s extraordinary Testimony, starring Ben Kingsley, explores the life of an artist navigating fear, censorship and survival.
Inspired by Solomon Volkov’s controversial book, presented as Shostakovich’s memoirs, the film interweaves stark black-and-white drama with the composer’s powerful music.
Following this special screening, acclaimed director Tony Palmer, whose films include portraits of Leonard Cohen, Benjamin Britten and Maria Callas, discusses making Testimony, its disputed source material, and Shostakovich’s enduring legacy.
Screening from a 35mm print
Runtime: 157 minutes
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