MSPIFF: Wednesday 4/28: Austria, USA

Fri, Apr 30, 2010

Wednesday was Day 13 of the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival. It was a day of contrasts, the concrete and the surreal.

  * [Pianomania](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1331115/), Austria.  This documentary follows a year in the professional life of Stefan Knüpfer, a piano technician and tuner who works in concert halls and venues in Austria.  [(MSPIFF link)](http://mspfilmfest.org/MMX/content/pianomania) His pursuit of the ideal piano sound is truly geeky, in large part because "ideal" depends on the pianist, the music, the piano (we learn quite a bit about Steinway serial numbers #109 and #245), the piano's many parts, and the concert hall.  Near the end, we get to see the music duo Igudesman & Joo (of "[Rachmaninoff Had Big Hands](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifKKlhYF53w)" fame) work with Knüpfer on some new jokes.  **Recommended**.  Not showing again.
  * [Presque Isle](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0826608/), USA.  Weird, dreamy, surreal, dreamy, what-the-****, arty.  And a bit cool at the same time.  **Skip**.  Not showing again.