Ravel in a Thousand Sparkles – The Life of Maurice Ravel

Filmmakers Frangois-René Martin and Gordon have envisioned a purely musical portrayal of the Boléro composer. With no spoken dialogue, the Orchestre de Paris and conductor Klaus Makela, pianist Bertrand Chamayou, coloratura soprano Sabine Devieilhe, the Quartuor Modigliani , the Accentus Choir and its conductor Laurence Equilbey, soprano MarieLaure Garnier, violinist Raphaélle Moreau, and pianist Célia Oneto Bensaid bring to life both his masterpieces and lesser-known works. Each chapter of the film features a performance of one of his pieces, highlighting a specific facet of his life and personality. Shot in meaningful locations—Ravel’'s house-museum in MontfortI'Amaury (where he lived until his death), the church in Ciboure (where he was baptized), the Sainte-Marie de la Tourette Convent built by Le Corbusier in Eveux, and the Philharmonie de Paris—the film grounds each work in a richly aesthetic universe of light and color, a unique film where past and present images intertwine.