DIVERTIMENTO

Wednesday, November 15, 2023
France  2022
Location: SilverCity
Showtimes: 6:30 & 9:00 pm

Director: Marie Castille Mention-Scharr
Cast:  Oulaya Amamra, Nina El Arabi, Niels, Arestrup
Running time:  110 minutes
Language: French with English Subtitles 

Awards: Stony Brook Film Festival: Special Recognition; Nomination: Odesa International Film Festival: Golden Duke Award, Marie Castille Mention-Scharr

Based on a true story, “Divertimento” tells the tale of how talented twin sisters, musical prodigies, challenged the norms of the French cultural society, to establish an orchestra for young musicians regardless of backgrounds in their home town of Stains, a working class district of Paris.

It’s 1995. Zahia, a viola player and Fettouma Ziouani, a cellist, are accepted in Lycée Racine in Paris where they are immediately confronted by class inequality and sexism. Having graduated from the Conservatoire de Pantin where their school mates were working class from diverse backgrounds, the girls encounter fellow students who are well off and Caucasian, sporting lineage of famous musicians. The girls don’t fit in easily.  

Zahia harbours ambitions of becoming a conductor, an unlikely goal for a working class female, creating her own hill to climb. Anything the girls do, including introducing diverse musical compositions, is met with derision, led by the taunting Lambert, the school’s star conductor. 

Zahia is relieved to be taken under of the wing of maestro Sergiu Celibidache, whom she’s dreamed of studying under. However, his socialist sympathies do not extend to women’s rights. In front of the class, he tells Zahia that conducting isn’t a profession for women. But seeing her potential and drive, he takes her in his private class, along with her sister.

The girls remain ostracized. In defiance of this, the 17-year-olds attempt to set up a symphony in Stains, despite the dismissive mayor. Several students from both the girls’ schools join up. Zahia cultivates a collaborative environment as opposed to the competitiveness of Lycée. 

An upcoming competition may determine the validity of Zahia’s vision, as they try to make a defining statement about race, gender and class in French culture.