Idil Biret was five-years-old when she played the piano to the Turkish President İsmet İnönü. Two years later, the parliament passed "Idil’s Law" which allowed her to study in Paris. Away from her friends, in an alien city, she was now studying under strict supervision. Her path crossed with legendary pianists of the time, such as Arthur Rubinstein, who later recalled, "The first time I heard her play, it brought tears to my eyes". And yet, Biret dreamt of running away from everything, becoming free again. Today, as we listen to her atonal improvisations, Idil Biret’s unique energy still retains its mystery. "Our aim was the make a personal and intimate character study of Idil Biret. Perhaps the small sculptures and paintings of cats that filled her house was the clue. Cats that look around them with curiosity and distance..." – Eytan İpeker |