Private Project

Emerging from the Shadows: Rediscovering the legacies of Weinberg and Korngold

How do artists keep creating even in the darkest of times? How did the life-altering events of World War II shape our musical landscape up to today? This documentary uncovers the poignant stories of Mieczyslaw Weinberg and Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Two 20th-century composers of profound artistry, whose legacy is only recently being rediscovered after having been overshadowed in the aftermath of the Holocaust.

"I was in tears by the end. The music is absolutely beautiful, but the stories behind it are heartbreaking." (LSN Verified Viewer)

The film follows the album recording of Four time GRAMMY®-nominated US-conductor Constantine Orbelian, chief conductor of the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra, and Israel-based cellist Kristina Reiko Cooper who hope to facilitate the transcendence of the two composers’ legacy: Out of the shadows and towards the recognition their music deserves.

"…more than just another WWII story or another music-centric biography." (Filmthreat.com)

In adjacent segments we delve into the history of Weinberg’s and Korngold’s very contrasting lives. Born respectively in Warsaw and Vienna and bound by their Jewish heritage, both composers were forced to flee the horrors of the Holocaust during World War II: Weinberg finding refuge in the far eastern part of the U.S.S.R. before resettling to Moscow, while Korngold fled to the USA and established himself as a film score composer in Hollywood.

In today's turbulent times, 80 years after the end of World War II, the documentary "Emerging from the Shadows" reminds us how artistic resilience and integrity are values worth fighting as much as ever.

"A deeply moving and necessary film" (LSN Verified Viewer)

  • Veronika Emily Pohl
    Director
    The Flow of Music (Filmkunstfestival MV/GER), Musik zwischen den Meeren Das Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival 2024 (ZDF/arte; GER), "Wainright sings Weill" (PJO; USA), "Cinema:Sound" James Newton Howard, Wiener Symphoniker (SONY)
  • Bernhard Fleischer
    Producer
    DANCE ON! (ZDF/arte), The Brahms Code (DW), Leonard Bernstein: Larger than Life (Unitel/ ZDF / 3sat)
  • Constantine Orbelian
    Key Cast
    Four time GRAMMY®-nominated conductor; Music Director and Principal Conductor New York City Opera; Chief Conductor Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra
  • Kristina Reiko Cooper
    Key Cast
    American cellist; Musical Director Israel Chamber Music Society, Vice President of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation; Board Mmember of the Charney Forum for New Diplomacy; Visiting Professor Tel Aviv University
  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold
    Key Cast
    Composer of the opera „Die tote Stadt“; „Das Wunder der Heliane“; Oscar winning Film Score for „Robin Hood“
  • Mieczyslaw Weinberg
    Key Cast
    Composer of the Cello Concerto in c minor op 43; Opera "The Passenger"; 26 symphonies
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Music, Documentary, History
  • Runtime:
    52 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 1, 2025
  • Country of Filming:
    Lithuania
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • The Music Dance Screenings Film Festival Consonance
    Tbilisi
    Georgia
    February 12, 2026
    WINNER: BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY
  • L.A. Film & Documentary Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    March 10, 2026
    WINNER: BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY
  • Documentaries Without Borders International Film Festival
    Delaware
    United States
    March 17, 2026
    EXCELLENCE AWARD: BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY
  • Director's Guild of America Hall
    New York City
    United States
    April 15, 2026
  • Yokohama International Film Festival
    Yokohama
    Japan
    May 4, 2026
    Asian Premiere
  • Gedenkwoche Hamburg
    Hamburg
    Germany
    May 4, 2026
    Gedenkwoche "Mitten unter uns"
  • Replay International Film Festival
    Vienna
    Austria
    June 7, 2026
    NOMINEE FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
  • Zepstone International Film & Music Festival
    Murray, Utah
    United States
    September 21, 2026
    WINNER: Honorable Mention - Best Documentary Feature (Quarter Finalist)
  • USA Film Festival
    Dallas
    United States
    April 27, 2026
    FINALIST International Short Film Competition
  • Hollywood International Indie Film & Screenplay Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    April 15, 2026
    WINNER: Best Director Feature Doc
  • French Riviera Film Festival
    Cannes
    France
    May 15, 2026
    WINNER: Best Documentary
  • Global Production Awards
    Cannes
    France
    May 18, 2026
    SHORT LIST: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award
Distribution Information
  • c major entertainment
    Distributor
Director Biography - Veronika Emily Pohl

Veronika Emily Pohl is a US-German journalist and documentary film director. She specializes on artist portraits, music documentaries and multi-camera directing of concert and stage productions for international symphony orchestras, ballet and opera productions. She was awarded "BEST DIRECTOR FEATURE DOC" by the Hollywood International Indie Film & Screenplay Awards 2026.

https://filmfreeway.com/VeronikaEmilyPohl

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Our small core team has put together this documentary with much personal engagement. All of us are passionate about the uniting message music is able to provide. We hope the documentary will highlight how artistic resilience and integrity are values worth fighting for today as much as ever: So we may learn from the past, encourage empathy and foster understanding.