***Director Douglas Tirola in Attendance for a Post-Film Q&A** 

Douglas Tirola’s thrilling documentary portrait of famed composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein artistically tells the story of an immigrant son who became a phenomenon as the visionary and exuberant conductor of the New York Philharmonic, and, then for decades, the face of classical music for the nation. Bernstein joyfully responded to the clamor of his times, matching his passion for music with an unyielding commitment to political engagement. Tirola also reveals a husband and father wrestling with what Bernstein called "his demons" of his hidden sexuality. We see Bernstein as a tireless participant in the anti-war and civil rights movements and a factor in the de-escalation of tensions between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. Incredibly Tirola uses Bernstein’s own voice almost exclusively to turn the maestro's life story into a call to action for artists and those that believe in the arts to create change in today's society with the goal of bringing freedom and respect to all people.