Piano to Zanskar

WINNER GRAND PRIZE Banff Mountain Film Festival, Canada 2019
WINNER FIRST PRIZE Kathmandu International Mountain Festival, Nepal 2019
NOMINATED Audience Award Edinburgh International Film Festival, Scotland 2019
NOMINATED Audience Award Trento Mountain Film Festival  Italy2019
NOMINATED Audience Award Docs Against Gravity Poland 2019
OPENING FILM Ulju Mountain Film Festival South Korea
The Story of a Man, a Mountain… and a Piano.
"Hits sweet notes” - The Hollywood Reporter
“Delightfully, disarmingly surreal” - HeyUGuys

Setting off from his Aladdin’s Cave-like workshop in trendy Camden Town, and enlisting the help of two young and eager apprentices, 65 year old piano tuner (Desmond O'Keefe's) ambitious destination is a primary school in Lingshed, Zanskar. At 14,000 feet above sea level, it is one of the most isolated settlements in the world.

Aided by a team of local Sherpas, as well as a motley crew of yaks and ponies, Desmond and his trusty assistants are tested to the limit, physically and psychologically, as they cross sheer mountain passes of breath-taking beauty. If successful, the expedition will be the highest piano delivery in the world. More importantly, it will be the ultimate gesture of music’s universal power: to inspire strength and bring joy.

Features an original music score by Werner Herzog collaborator, Ernst Reijseger ('Cave of Forgotten Dreams')

Desmond O’Keeffe (1949 – 2018) – piano tuner, mountain climber and star of Michal Sulima’s critically acclaimed PIANO TO ZANSKAR – has sadly passed away. He will be fondly remembered as one of life’s rare gems.

OFFICIAL FILM SECTION
Wales International Documentary Festival 2019
Parkistan International Mountain Film Festival 2019
Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival, Canada 2020
Festival Gomiskega Filma, Slovenia 2020
Alpin Film Festival Romania 2020
IMF Mountain Film Festival, New Delhi India 2020
Boulder International Film Festival, Colorado USA 2020
Sheffield Adventure Film Festival, UK 2020
5 Point Adventure Film Festival, Colorado USA 2020
DocLands Film Festival, San Francisco, USA 2020
New Zealand Mountain Film Festival, 2020

Running Time

86 Minutes

Genre

Creative Documentaries

Director

Michal Sulima

Producers

Jarek Kotomski

Cast

Desmond O'Keeffe
Anna Ray
Harald Hagegard