MoviesReviewResentment and admiration are found in equal measure in this intimate documentary about a brilliantly talented but dysfunctional family

This intimate documentary centres on Martha Argerich, considered to be one of the greatest classical pianists of her generation, but it’s also a portrait of an unusually talented, bohemian family, with all the expected dysfunctions. Directed by Martha’s youngest daughter, Stephanie, who’s been filming her mother, pianist father Stephen Kovacevich and her two half-sisters since she was a child, this refreshingly honest account looks at the challenges of raising children while pursuing a career as a performing artist, a job that requires hours of practice, months of travel and a degree of self-absorption that extract a heavy price. Clearly, the children still harbour some resentments against Martha and their absent fathers – two of the girls’ earliest memories revolve around being, literally, at their mother’s feet while she played. But their affection for the immensely likable Martha also shines through, as well as a respect for her extraordinary talent, highlighted in several performance clips.

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