Kapralova

In pre-war Europe, 22-year-old Czech composer and conductor Vítězslava Kaprálová leaves to study at the prestigious Paris Conservatory with the aim of making her mark in the male-dominated world of music. Her letters paint a picture of her student years full of wonder, creative passion, and fears of forced exile. The young composer creates her greatest works in Paris, but her creative ambitions are cut short by her sudden death. The compositions she wrote over the course of several years are still performed on stages around the world today. In the film, we hear them performed by leading soloists—Adam Plachetka, Steven Isserlis, and conductor Alena Hron—as well as at several schools, including the École Normale de Musique de Paris, where Kaprálová studied almost 100 years ago. The film is not only a portrait of an inspiring composer, but also a reflection on creative legacy, identity, and the obstacles that women in classical music continue to face.