Market Screening: Bernstein's Wall

Douglas Tirola’s thrilling documentary Bernstein's Wall traces Leonard Bernstein’s lifelong struggle to create social change and bring people together through his work. Like a symphony with multiple movements, the film presents the sweeping grandeur of Bernstein’s life alongside his thoughts about America, politics, race, family, media, sex, and religion. The son of a Russian Jewish immigrant, Bernstein rose to become Conductor of the New York Philharmonic and a towering figure in classical music, Broadway, television, and culture. Yet behind the icon was a vulnerable and conflicted artist wrestling to balance his ambitions, sexuality, religion, and the family he deeply loved. He used his influence to advocate for progressive political change, often at considerable personal risk. Guided by Bernstein’s voice, Bernstein's Wall draws on archival footage, photographs, personal letters, family audio, and highlights from his career to create a portrait of one of the 20th century’s most prominent icons.