Call Me Madame Maestro

30 years ago the Swedish filmmaker Christina Olofson produced and directed the award-winning documentary A WOMAN IS A RISKY BET (DIRIGENTERNA) about women orchestra conductors from all over the world. This film was sold to television in many countries including the BBC in the UK.

These women had one thing in common in this male dominated profession. They were driven by self-belief and a strong passion for music and a desire to conduct concerts and operas. To succeed they also needed to be better than the average male conductor.
Several opera houses at that time did not want a woman conductor.

What has happened during the past 30 years? Any improvements? In a follow-up Christina Olofson has now made a new feature length documentary CALL ME MADAME MAESTRO.

We follow Kerstin Nerbe (Sweden), JoAnn Falletta (USA), Victoria Bond (USA), Cayenna Ponchione Bailey (Oxford, UK), Julia Jones (UK), Anna-Maria Helsing (Finland), Marit Strindlund (Sweden), Stina Widén (Sweden).

Things have improved. There are not many but more women conductors. Now it does not matter if the conductor is male or female as long as the music is good.

Today nobody dares to say that they do not want to hire a woman conductor, but they can still do it, and it still happens.
So the fight is not over yet.

Theatrical release in Sweden 22^nd October 2021

PRESS REVIEWS
“Engaging and moving”
“A brilliant film”
“The film creates intense passion and excitement”