EMERGING FROM THE SHADOWS: REDISCOVERING THE LEGACIES OF WEINBERG AND KORNGOLD

Documentary, Music, Documentary, History

Not Specified

2025

Runtime, min

How do artists keep creating even in the darkest of times? How did the life-altering events of World War II shape our musical landscape up to today? This documentary uncovers the poignant stories of Mieczyslaw Weinberg and Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Two 20th-century composers of profound artistry, whose legacy is only recently being rediscovered after having been overshadowed in the aftermath of the Holocaust. The film follows the album recording of Four time GRAMMY®-nominated US-conductor Constantine Orbelian, chief conductor of the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra, and Israel-based cellist Kristina Reiko Cooper who hope to facilitate the transcendence of the two composers’ legacy: Out of the shadows and towards the recognition their music deserves. In adjacent segments we delve into the history of Weinberg’s and Korngold’s very contrasting lives. Born respectively in Warsaw and Vienna and bound by their Jewish heritage, both composers were forced to flee the horrors of the Holocaust during World War II: Weinberg finding refuge in the far eastern part of the U.S.S.R. before resettling to Moscow, while Korngold fled to the USA and established himself as a film score composer in Hollywood. In today's turbulent times, 80 years after the end of World War II, the documentary "Emerging from the Shadows" reminds us how artistic resilience and integrity are values worth fighting as much as ever.

Director:

Veronika Emily Pohl

Selections and Awards:

REVIEWS:

I was in tears by the end. The music is absolutely beautiful, but the stories behind it are heartbreaking. It’s inspiring to see how these composers kept creating beauty even when the world was falling apart around them. Music is a universal language, yes, truly.

Tom Kauss

Constantine Orbelian is a legend! It was wonderful to see him leading this project. The film reminds us that art is resilience. It’s not just about the past; it feels very relevant to what is happening in the world today. The cello solos gave me goosebumps.

Albert Beltrán

A deeply moving and necessary film. We often speak of the lost generation, but to hear the music that survived the Holocaust and Stalinism is a different experience entirely. The contrast between Korngold’s Hollywood success and Weinberg’s struggle in the USSR is fascinating. It poses the difficult question: how much great art was silenced by history? A profound watch.

Martin Ferrari

Solid documentary. I knew Korngold from his film scores (Robin Hood!), but I had never heard of Mieczyslaw Weinberg before. His story of escaping to the East is incredible. The film does a great job of mixing the modern-day recording sessions with the historical context. Highly recommended for history teachers and music students.

Oliver Jensen