Prolific Canadian filmmaker Larry Weinstein explores enlightenment in Beethoven’s Nine: Ode to Humanity

Canadian filmmaker Larry Weinstein releases his most personal documentary yet as he slipped from his role as director to subject midway through filming – once the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel took the lives of his sister and brother-in-law.

Filmmaker Larry Weinstein has made over 40 award winning films and is considered by many to be the preeminent music documentarian. His film, Beethoven’s Nine: Ode to Humanity, will be opening the Stratford Film Festival with a screening, Q-and-A with Weinstein, and opening night reception on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. in Stratford City Hall.

When first approached about making a documentary celebrating the 200th anniversary of the 1824 premiere of Beethoven’s 9th symphony: Ode to Joy, Weinstein was reticent. Certainly, it was ground-breaking work for the time, but he thought anniversaries come and go, and further, he had already done a film on Beethoven’s life called Beethoven’s Hair and felt that it sufficiently told the story of the musician’s life.

“It wasn’t until I kind of rejected it, but then I thought, actually, it’s kind of interesting that Beethoven’s 9th symphony was really very different because it had words. No symphony had been set to poetry or used a choir before. The reason he did that was he was interested in using Schiller’s words which were very much the product of the enlightenment. What if I were to make a film, these days, when the world needs enlightening and so much horrible things are happening. Why not make a film with a political slant in a way but in terms of humanity?” explained Weinstein.

He then thought to go after the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra founded by Canadian/Ukrainian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson, whom he knew, and wondered at the possibility of them performing music of his choosing. Coincidentally, Wilson was getting her orchestra together in light of the Russia-Ukraine war. Her orchestra immediately came back and said not only would they do it, they would be in Warsaw and filming of a performance would be agreeable.

Originally, the theme was to be about the enlightenment ideals and the things that inspired Beethoven, that gave him the reason he wanted to do that piece, and the reason he was who he was. That interested Weinstein but months after they started filming, the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel happened and all of a sudden the documentary became personal. His sister and brother-in-law had been killed.

Weinstein felt traumatized, facing the worst of humanity. After much convincing, he decided to appear in his own film for the first time ever.

“Once we started, I felt like this is a real commitment, this is a way I can talk about my sister and this is something very special, eye opening. It does relate to our film, and it does relate to the themes of the film, and my sister embodied enlightenment in her own way. She always fought for peace and worked with young children to help ease their trauma and was all about mindfulness and meditation. She loved music and the power of art and wrote haiku every morning. She very much embodies all the things I was inspired by to make this film,” said Weinstein.

Remaining objective as a filmmaker while in a subjective situation meant staying out of the editing room at the instruction of his cameraman and editor. Together they conspired and cut the interview before showing it to Weinstein to review. Prepare to be moved.

The film features nine diverse culturally significant voices assembled that each in their own way make an enlightened contribution of humanity. It follows unique individuals, including Ukrainian musicians, a deaf composer, a Polish rock star, a best-selling author, a legendary cartoonist and Weinstein himself.

“Because the film has so many war themes, we thought maybe we should choose someone lighter, that’s when we chose (cartoonist) Charles Shultz, which I like very much. I like the idea of Schroeder who introduced Beethoven to so many people who wouldn’t have known Beethoven. So, it’s a matter of seeming organic,” said Weinstein.

He concluded that the 9th symphony is a love letter to humanity, which was Beethoven’s way of saying “Let’s be brothers and sisters and hold each other and try to listen to our better angels.”

“That’s what I hope, that people will see despite all the darkness we can push through and see the light,” said Weinstein.

For more information about Beethoven’s Nine: Ode to Humanity or to buy tickets for the screening, Q-and-A and opening reception visit stratfordfilmfestival.com.