Speaking in Strings

Released in 1999
Oscar Nominee for Best Documentary
Sundance Festival Grand Jury Nominee

Directed by Paola di Florio
Produced by Paola di Florio & Lilibet Foster
Cinematography by Peter Rader
Edited by Ellen Goldwasser
Original Score by Karen Childs

Described as "possessed," "frightening," and "brilliant," the world-renowned violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg has been called "the bad girl of the violin." Nadja has both enraptured and enraged audiences and critics. Speaking in Strings is an intimate portrait of the woman behind the controversy, exploring the demons and despair that lurk beneath the genius.

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Speaking in Strings is a riveting portrait of Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, a first-rank classical violinist whose highly emotive style of performance invites both kudos and controversy …what Speaking in Strings captures most potently is the “on the brink” quality of the artistic temperament in extremis.”

– Kenneth Turan | LA Times

“…an extraordinarily intimate, deeply affecting and revelatory documentary on how pain and passion can come together in a creative artist. … You don’t need to know who she is or even much care about classical music to be gripped, even flabbergasted by what’s on the screen. ….”