Mstislav Rostropovich, The Indomitable Bow

This is the life story of the cellist, pianist and composer Mstislav Rostropovich (“Slava” to his friends), a film that illustrates his love of humanity and his audiences’ love for him. He was born into a musical family in Baku, and the cello quickly became his preferred instrument. As a friend of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Rostropovich offered him refuge in his home, leading to his condemnation and to his being stripped of Soviet citizenship. In 1974, Rostropovich and his family settled in the United States where he served as the musical director and conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington. The film paints a portrait of a musician who could find his place anywhere in the world—but still felt great joy when his Russian citizenship was reinstated and he could spend the rest of his days in Moscow.