Beethoven’s Nine – Ode to Humanity

05 MAY 2024: Celebrating its 200-year anniversary, director Larry Weinstein set out to make a documentary about Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and its relevance today.

In early 2023, filmmaker Larry Weinstein set out to make a documentary about Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. It was supposed to be about how far we have come in the two hundred years since it was written. But when world events pull Larry into his own film, the question becomes a deeply personal one. Beethoven’s Nine is a documentary about music, but also about war and hope.

It follows nine unique individuals, including Ukrainian musicians, a deaf composer, a Polish rock star, a best-selling author, a legendary cartoonist and Weinstein himself, as they try to better understand the legacy of Beethoven’s Ninth, the composer’s own struggles, the inspiration music can provide and how humanity continues to look for hope even in the darkest times.

After the world premiere at the Hot Docs Festival in Toronto, “Beethoven’s Nine – Ode to Humanity” will be broadcasted on ARTE on 5 May, 22:30. SRF, RSI, SVT, NRK and YLE will also be showing the film in May to mark the anniversary of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

Original title Beethoven's Nine – Ode to Humanity
Duration 82 Minutes
Production Company 3B-Produktion
Production Company Riddle Films
Co-Production Company ZDF/Arte
Co-Production Company SRG SSR
Director Larry Weinstein