“The Lost Paradise” – a new film about Arvo Pärt to be released in September

A new documentary, produced by Accentus Music and directed by German film director Günter Atteln, follows composer Arvo Pärt over a one-year period in his native Estonia, as well as to Japan, Germany, Italy and Vatican.

He is the most-performed contemporary composer in the world. And yet he rarely ventures out in public, prefers to keep quiet about his music, feels at home in the forests of Estonia and generates therewith – perhaps involuntarily – the impression of a recluse, which is attributed to him again and again,” the filmmakers said.

In The Lost Paradise, we follow him over a period of one year in his native Estonia, to Japan and the Vatican. The documentary is framed by the stage production of Adam’s Passion, a music theater piece based on the biblical story of the fall of Adam featuring three key works by Arvo Pärt, and which the American stage director Robert Wilson brought to the stage in May 2015 in a former submarine factory, the Noblessner Foundry in the Estonian capital Tallinn,” the producers explained.

Adam's Passion by Robert Wilson and Arvo Pärt

Tracing their creative process, the film offers rare and personal insights into the worlds of some of the most fascinating personalities in the international arts and music scene.

“Pärt, who will celebrate his 80th birthday on 11 September, verily exudes even solely by his appearance an aura of a mystic or an ascetic. Although Pärt has said he is ‘no prophet, no cardinal, not a monk, not even a vegetarian’, he is without a doubt a devout man.”

For the documentary, Pärt gave a consent to be accompanied by a camera for an entire year – in his native Estonia, traveling to Germany, Italy and Japan, where Pärt received the Praemium Imperiale, one of the world’s most prestigious awards in music, in October 2014.

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Photos: Accentus Music.

5 thoughts on ““The Lost Paradise” – a new film about Arvo Pärt to be released in September”

  1. A friend cried for the first time in literally years upon hearing Fur Alina. She played it over & over again, sobbing for days… Part is pure magic – we are so blessed to have him. Yup, can’t wait to see this.

  2. I am so excited about this- the Miserere is spiritual, intellectual, reflective and beautiful. IMO, this is a pure form of Divine inspiration through music.

  3. The film is an important project, and timely. It will capture live a great composer for future generations, as his music will last the way great classical music lasts.

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