MRAC Cinema Club presents Divertimento

Followed by refreshments Film release date: 2024 Film language: French

Federation Room, Brolga Theatre

Directed by Marie-Castille Mention-Schaer, this French drama based on the true story of musician Zahia Ziouani documents the struggles of twin 17-year-old sisters, one a cellist and the other who aspires to be a conductor. The girls are of Algerian descent and come from an underprivileged background, but they want to make it in the classical music scene. The action takes place in 1995 and shows the girls’ resilience and determination in the face of relentless bullying at their music school as they seek to overcome barriers to ensure that music should not be the domain of the privileged, but should be accessible to all in the community. The story has a happy ending, but not without some setbacks along the way. Critics were generally favourable, awarding the film 3.5 to 4 stars.