The British Council is participating in the 4th EUNIC Documentary Film Festival in Hanoi and Danang with ‘Elgar – The man behind the mask’ by the famous British director John Bridcut. The film won the Czech Crystal award for Best Documentary at Golden Prague TV Festival 2010 and BAFTA Television Craft Award 2011 for Sound (Factual).

The composer of ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ is often regarded as the quintessential English gentleman. But Elgar's image of hearty nobility was deliberately contrived.  In this revelatory portrait of a musical genius, John Bridcut explores the secret conflicts in Elgar's nature which produced some of Britain's greatest music.

This film features specially-filmed performances by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Crouch End Festival Chorus and the Schola Cantorum of Oxford with works by Elgar.

Screening schedule of UK film in EUNIC Documentary Film Festival 2012:

Hanoi: 9 June 2012
National Documentary and Scientific Film Studio
465 Hoang Hoa Tham street, Hanoi
6.30 p.m. - Cocktails    
7.00 p.m. - Film screening

Danang: 15 June 2012
Vietnam Film Import-Export and Distribution Company
79 Quang Trung, Danang city
7.00 p.m. - Film screening

REVIEWS

'Following his magnificent 2004 documentary Britten’s Children, the director John Bridcut has again assembled the great and the good to make this revelatory film about Edward Elgar.'
David Chater, The Times

'John Bridcut's sensitive, absorbing film reveals startling details and new colours in an old master restored'
Financial Times