BACH AT THE PAGODA
Press Reviews from Switzerland (Englisch)
 
"Beatocello, music and life. An impressive documentary about Beat Richner's humanitarian work."
Neue Luzerner Zeitung, Nicole Hess
 
"Bach combats tuberculosis. Albert Schweizer funded his jungle hospital with organ concerts in Europe and loved Bach more than anything. Dr. Beat Richner loves Bach just as much, but his instrument is the cello. As 'Beatocello' he delights adults with Bach's cello suites and dons the guise of a musical clown to entertain children with his own songs and short pieces for the cello. Every performance features his song about the account number of his foundation ('Doctor PC') because, like Schweizer, Richner partly funds his Cambodian hospitals with the money from his concerts."
Musik & Theater, Reinmar Wagner
 
"The recording of a music CD forms the basis of a documentary presenting 'beautiful' atmospheric images of Cambodia, the busy routine in the twin Kantha Bopha hospitals and the motives, arguments and mental strength of the remarkable man who runs them...
Richner does not simply play cabaret on his cello. The music helps him to fight his bitterness, conveying peace and humanity. It comes as no surprise that by his own charming admission this self-willed, unconventional personality cannot play from music."
Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Christoph Wehrli
"A Swiss doctor transposes Bach to the land of pagodas and Buddha... The great Johann Sebastian Bach certainly never imagined that his music would one day be played inside a Cambodian pagoda and help save the lives of many children in a country ravaged by decades of war... With the help of his cello, Beat Richner has managed to build and run two hospitals in Cambodia... Georges Gachot's film deserves credit for painting the real-life portrait of a truly extraordinary figure."
Le Courrier, Jacques Erard
 
"Beatocello on the big screen... a powerful film... "
Le Nouveau Quotidien, Stéphane Herzog
 
"Presenting the vast historical canvas of a country scarred by the bloody dictatorship of the Khmer Rouge and scenes depicting its current state, the film displays a certain fondness for polished images, a dominant characteristic of documentaries: the scenic backdrop of everyday life is interspersed with long asides by the principal figure, Dr. Beat Richner, and the whole film is punctuated with interludes featuring classical music."
 
Le Nouveau Quotidien, Olivier Kohler

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