Fanny Alexander

When notable narrative director Scott Hicks (SHINE, SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS) picked up an HD camera to shoot some footage of celebrated composer Philip Glass, he had no intention of turning it into a feature-length documentary. Yet after capturing so much insightful footage and realising that Glass and his family and friends were up to the task, that is exactly what happened. With GLASS: A PORTRAIT OF PHILIP IN TWELVE PARTS, Hicks has delivered an intimate, illuminating glimpse into the life of one of America's most fascinating artists. The film's present-day footage follows Glass as he works on his Eighth Symphony and also prepares to present the operatic spectacle BARBARIANS AT THE GATE. But his current duties don't stop there. He's also busy scoring Woody Allen's CASSANDRA'S DREAM in addition to several more films.

Glass is an obsessive workaholic who takes his work with him even when he goes on vacation (to the disappointment of his third wife, Holly, who expresses her feelings in one of the film's most unexpectedly revealing moments). Meanwhile, Hicks visits close friends and family members, who recount Glass's life story with clarity and humour. But the film really belongs to Glass himself, whose pragmatic approach to creation is daunting and inspiring. To him, one must show up every single day and put in the time to create work that is worthy of preservation. To remain focused, he performs many different spiritual and physical acts of meditation and exercise. GLASS often feels more like a home movie than an outright documentary, proving that Hicks is as adept at shooting real life as he is at filming screenplays.