Can classical music still be a compelling subject for cinema? Two outstanding documentaries, which complete the DocFilmMusic competition programme at the 66th Kraków Film Festival, demonstrate that it definitely can. Where Music Grows by Katrine Philp and Nous, l’orchestre de Paris by Philippe Béziat lead audiences into two entirely different musical worlds – a Danish farm and a Parisian concert hall. We are provided with an intimate view not merely of how music comes into being, but above all of those who create it, as they endeavour to find their place in a world of extraordinarily high standards.
In Search of Harmony
The world of music schools is most commonly governed by an unrelenting pursuit of perfection, which frequently results in immense pressure being placed upon young artists. Where Music Grows redirects our attention towards a place that operates according to an altogether different logic. A farm in Stevns, not far from Copenhagen, becomes a space where young musicians from across the globe prepare for concerts and auditions, learning not only how to play but also how to live alongside one another in harmony.
Created by Jacob Shaw – musician, professor, and self-taught farmer – this remarkable place, where tending the land, caring for animals, and preparing meals together are as essential as working on one’s repertoire, offers a genuine alternative to the world of musical elites. The original Swedish title of Ingmar Bergman’s Wild Strawberries idiomatically denotes a treasured, hidden place of deep personal significance— the farm in Katrine Philp’s documentary becomes the realisation of such idyllic space where its young charges discover the strength to continue developing, as well as inspiration and respite from the demands of the outside world.
A Musical Organism
Nous, l’orchestre de Paris, directed by Philippe Béziat, takes us inside the world-renowned Orchestre de Paris, giving us an intimate view of how music comes into being. For the first time, cameras venture amongst the orchestra’s 120 members as they work in the Philharmonie de Paris under the baton of the distinguished conductor Klaus Mäkelä. The film asks questions about the very essence of collective performance – how does one become part of a greater whole without sacrificing one’s individuality? How does one coexist within an ensemble over the course of many years? And what role does the conductor truly play?
Béziat crafts a picture immersed in the very heart of the musical process. The musicians speak about their work, understanding their place in the orchestra, their feelings during a performance, and how they learn to collaborate with others. Each remains a distinct individual, yet the moment they begin to play, they form a single, perfectly unified organism. It is precisely this transformation – from multiplicity into unity and back again – that the director makes one of the film’s central themes.
Titles selected for the DocFilmMusic competition:
- Farruquito, a flamenco dynasty, dir. Santi Aguado, Reuben Atlas, Spain, USA, 90’, 2025
- Kaprálová, dir. Petr Záruba, Czech Republic, 70’, 2025
- The Magic City – Birmingham According to Sun Ra, dir. Guillaume Maupin, Pablo Guarise, Belgium, 100’, 2025
- The Musician and The Whale, dir. Valentin Paoli, France, 83’, 2026
- Nous, l’orchestre de Paris, dir. Philippe Béziat, France, 90’, 2025
- Puuluup – cables in the car, dir. Taavi Arus, Estonia, 96’, 2026
- Where Music Grows, dir. Katrine Philp, Denmark, Sweden, 90’, 2026
- Meant to Be, dir. Oliver Mark Toth, Hungary, 84’, 2026.
Insider passes for the 66th Krakow Film Festival are now on sale!
The Krakow Film Festival is on the exclusive list of film events qualifying for the Academy Awards® in short film categories (fiction, animation, documentary) and feature-length documentary, the European Film Awards in the same categories, and serves as a qualifying event for the BAFTA Awards.
The Krakow Film Festival is organised with financial support from the City of Krakow, the Polish Film Institute, the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme, and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund – a state purpose fund. The Polish Filmmakers Association serves as co-organiser.The 66th Krakow Film Festival will be held in cinemas from 31 May to 7 June 2027 and online on KFF VOD from 5 June to 19 June 2026.