Maestra

Women make up only about three percent of all symphony conductors. Luckily, the La Maestra competition at the Philharmonie de Paris concert hall hopes to boost this statistic. Meet five female conductors from all corners of the globe as they train and compete for fame, individuality, and recognition in a male-dominated world.An orchestra will captivate its audience with powerful scores and whimsical melodies, but only at the skillful hand of its conductor. Unfortunately, the industry metronome is off-kilter, with less than 3% of all conductors worldwide being female. Cue La Maestra, the only competition in the world for women orchestra conductors. Commanding and emotive, MAESTRA whisks audiences into the world of conducting. The film follows five of La Maestra’s selected candidates from around the globe as they prepare for the competition that will open new doors of professional opportunities rarely seen by women. As each navigates her own challenges with war, sexism, motherhood, and a traumatic past with the competition’s host city of Paris, the conductors must drown out opinions and expectations to find their own versions of power with and without the baton. –A.B. GUEST(S) IN ATTENDANCEFor information on the free CIFF48 screening of MAESTRA taking place at Great Lakes Science Center, click HERE.