Agnieszka Holland, a three-time Oscar nominee, has signed on as executive producer for the documentary short film ‘The Tuners.’ Polish actress and singer Joanna Kulig also serves as an executive producer on the project, which examines musical craftsmanship and competitive dynamics within the piano industry.
Directed by Pawel Chorzepa and produced by International Emmy winner Joanna Chorzepa, the 22-minute film centers on the work of piano tuners at Warsaw’s International Chopin Piano Competition. According to the film’s synopsis, the project portrays a hidden competition unfolding parallel to the main event, in which three expert piano tuners from different grand piano manufacturers compete to create the optimal sound for performing pianists. The tuners’ choices regarding instrument selection and acoustic preparation potentially influence competition outcomes.
The film enters the awards season after receiving three Oscar-qualifying festival awards. It is scheduled for release in mid-November through The New York Times Op-Docs and has been selected for both the DOC NYC shortlist and the IDFA market in Amsterdam. The production features cinematography by Pawel Chorzepa and Maciej Kwasniewski, with editing by Kosma Kowalczyk and Jakub Darewski. Additional executive producers include Weronika Milczewska.
In his director’s note, Chorzepa explained that his background as a cinematographer informed his approach to documenting the tuners’ largely unseen labor. He described observing the tuners working late at night in the concert hall, moving carefully and silently in white slippers as they adjusted instruments. The director opted to present the material without interviews or narration, instead inviting viewers to experience the world through immersion and observation. Access to typically restricted spaces at the competition was facilitated through collaboration with the Fryderyk Chopin Institute.
The film features piano tuners Jarosław Bednarski, Ortwin Moreau, and Hidemi Okubo. Holland characterized the work as a tribute to individuals whose expertise and artistry often remain invisible to public audiences.
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