Die Dirigentin

In my opinion, the Dutch don’t exactly shoot the best European films; quite the opposite. So watching The Conductor on Cinemax was a pleasant surprise for me, because this film doesn’t seem just Dutch, but world-class. Moreover, it was the debut role for the lead actress Christanne de Bruijn, who definitely didn’t have an easy job here. But she passed the test with flying colors. A nice story, beautifully captured period, and a light feminist undertone that is to the advantage of the film. (10.03.2020)

Any story about a strong woman who went out on her own and started blazing a trail for us women to fulfill our dreams always moves me at least a little. Watching a time when it was nearly impossible for a woman to stand in front of an orchestra stirs a range of feelings in me. Things may be different today, but it certainly can't be said that all women everywhere can always decide what they want to be. And where they can choose, in some fields they are still not respected as much as men. And not just by the male gender, but by the female gender as well. I myself think of the word "conductor" as a man. That's how we know it, that's how it's presented to us. Now I believe that my perception of the profession will change. I didn't enjoy the romantic storyline, it was quite simplistic. On the other hand, it was probably necessary, or almost necessary, to round out the story. And the fact that at a certain point I didn't sympathize with the heroine makes sense. Love makes fools of us today and every day. I was hesitant, but the feminist in me finally made me incline towards a higher rating. 3.5 stars. (24.04.2020)

The romanticized life story of Antonia Brico fits very well with the ubiquitous beautiful music. I must admit, however, that it was a bit too over-sweetened for my taste. It looks nice and sounds even better, but I would welcome a somewhat more realistic approach to the whole film. (65%) (13.05.2021)