Movies Similar to Solo, Piano

Megacities(1998)

Megacities is a documentary about the slums of five different metropolitan cities.

Rock School(2005)

It is about a music school in Philadelphia, The Paul Green School of Rock Music, run by Paul Green that teaches kids ages 9 to 17 how to play rock music and be rock stars. Paul Green teaches his students how to play music such as Black Sabbath and Frank Zappa better than anyone expects them to by using a unique style of teaching that includes getting very angry and acting childish.

6.1

The Gleaners and I(2000)

Varda focuses her eye on gleaners: those who scour already-reaped fields for the odd potato or turnip. Her investigation leads from forgotten corners of the French countryside to off-hours at the green markets of Paris, following those who insist on finding a use for that which society has cast off, whether out of necessity or activism.

7.6

The Revelers(1927)

The Revelers sing a couple of songs around the piano.

3.5

Pianoforte(2023)

The world’s most talented young pianists compete in the International Chopin Piano Competition, held every five years in Warsaw, Poland. A rare behind the scenes look at the triumphant highs and crushing lows of competition, Pianoforte is both a testament to the remarkable power of music and an intimate coming-of-age portrait.

8.0

Shut Up and Play the Piano(2018)

The documentary follows Chilly Gonzales from his native Canada to late '90s underground Berlin, and via Paris to the world's great philharmonic halls. Diving deep into the dichotomy of Gonzales' stage persona, where self-doubt and megalomania are just two sides of the same coin.

7.2

Dope Sick Love(2005)

Two heroin-addicted couples lead hard and stressful lives on the streets of New York.

6.5

The Story of Stuff(2007)

For most of the world, consumption has been the unquestioned duty of every individual. Then garbage activist Annie Leonard brought her two-hour lecture to Free Range who helped her turn it into a 20-minute animated revolution. Shown in thousands of classrooms, endlessly blasted by Fox News, viewed more than 10 million times, The Store of Stuff finally opens the door to a serious cultural dialog about the costs of consumption.

7.7

Zero Waste(2023)

As the world continues to come face to face with the consequences of decades of environmental degradation, Danny Kim’s documentary Zero Waste explores the ways that five individuals in South Korea have taken it upon themselves to create solutions to the country’s plastic waste problems, which has been exasperated by the global pandemic, and whether their efforts can be enough to make up for decades of neglect. Both sobering and uplifting, Zero Waste paints a portrait of both the magnitude of the problem, and the perseverance of those people willing to address them.

0.0

Matter Out of Place(2022)

A film about our garbage that is found in the most remote areas and about the people who try to dispose of it. Not only in the sea and on coasts, also in the Arctic, the jungle, high up on the mountains and deep inside the desert, garbage is found almost everywhere in various forms and dimensions, sometimes as whole car wrecks, old TV sets or simply construction rubble, but mostly in the form of disintegrated plastic particles a few millimetres in size. Humanity has handed out its visiting cards thoroughly.

6.3

Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker(2013)

Bayou Maharajah explores the life and music of New Orleans piano legend James Booker, the man Dr. John described as "the best black, gay, one-eyed junkie piano genius New Orleans has ever produced." A brilliant pianist, his eccentricities and showmanship belied a life of struggle, prejudice, and isolation. Illustrated with never-before-seen concert footage, rare personal photos and exclusive interviews, the film paints a portrait of this overlooked genius.

7.1

Quid pro quo(2022)

The film is set on the streets of Groningen and highlights the intimate and invisible parts of Joram, his work and his studio: the street. Both the residents and visitors of the street are captured by Joram's raw, confrontational and intimate portraits. In the film, Joram and the many people he portrays talk about Joram, his work and life.

0.0

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Versenkt und Vergessen(2013)

Environmental activists have been trying to prevent the dumping of nuclear waste on the high seas since the 1970s. But the nuclear freighters always won. Barrels of radioactive waste were simply thrown overboard. When the public found out what was happening at sea, the environmental organization Greenpeace won its battle.

8.5

Piano Blues(2003)

Director — and piano player — Clint Eastwood explores his life-long passion for piano blues, using a treasure trove of rare historical footage in addition to interviews and performances by such living legends as Pinetop Perkins and Jay McShann, as well as Dave Brubeck and Marcia Ball.

6.5

A Plastic Tide(2017)

Over eight million tonnes of plastic enters the ocean each year, killing sea life. Now new evidence says it's entering our food chain with unknown health effects.

0.0

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus(2023)

"Ars longa, vita brevis" – art is long, life is short. This is one of Japanese music icon Ryuichi Sakamoto's favorite quotes, and the message that he leaves for viewers at the end of his final concert film, shot before he succumbed to cancer in March 2023. Consisting of only Sakamoto and his piano, Opus features the final live performances of 20 songs that Sakamoto meticulously curated to encapsulate his distinguished 40-year career.

8.5

Contras' City(1969)

A fictional documentary that portrays the city of Dakar, Senegal, as we hear the conversation between a Senegalese man (the director, Djibril Diop Mambéty) and a French woman, Inge Hirschnitz. As we travel through the city in a picturesque horse drawn wagon, we chaotically rush into this and that popular neighborhood of the capital, discovering contrast after contrast: A small African community waiting at the Church's door, Muslims praying on the sidewalk, the Rococo architecture of the Government buildings, the modest stores of the craftsmen near the main market.

6.0

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Virtuosity(2014)

Stay calm. You’ve spent your whole life practicing and preparing yourself for this moment of truth, and now it has finally arrived. The Cliburn, or more properly, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, held every four years in Fort Worth, Texas, is about to begin. Pressure? What pressure? Running 17 days, with three grueling rounds, The Cliburn invites 30 of the world’s finest pianists to battle it out for top honors. At stake are prizes worth millions, but more than money, the winner is practically guaranteed a performing career. Did we mention you’re playing not just for the judges, but for a live audience of thousands and a webcast of 170,000 viewers throughout the world? Pressure? What pressure? Just sit back, relax and enjoy the show. No pressure.

9.0

Black Tar Heroin: The Dark End of the Street(2000)

The film follows a simple structure, and shows the drug-related degradation of five youths (Jake, Tracey, Jessica, Alice, Oreo) during the course of three years. The film depicts drug-related crimes and diseases: prostitution, male prostitution, AIDS, and lethal overdoses.

6.9

Piano Dreams(2024)

Three young prodigies and their families exploring the popular and competitive world of piano playing in China.

0.0