On September 1^st, the Venice Film Festival welcomed a new Todd Field film into the world. Field is often referred to as ‘an actor’s director,’ and after a fifteen-year hiatus, the cinema world was eager to see Tár, which he specifically wrote for Cate Blanchett, one of the most talented actresses working today. At the film’s press conference, the first thing Todd Field wanted to make clear to the journalists in attendance was that “It wasn’t written with Cate Blanchett in mind. It was written for Cate Blanchett. Yeah. I spent a few months with Cate Blanchett before I started talking to Cate Blanchett and before Cate Blanchett knew that I was spending my days with Cate Blanchet.” Cate Blanchett was very moved when Todd Field came to her with the idea of Tar and said, “I think a hallmark of Todd’s films, and it’s a very spare and special moment when Todd decides to leave the house and make another movie”.

Cate Blanchett plays the role of Lydia Tar, a self-made, world-renowned conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. At the beginning of the film, Lydia’s long list of accomplishments is read out on stage during a live interview for the New Yorker. Her latest mountain to climb is to conduct a live recording of Mahler’s famous Fifth Symphony, which coincides with the release of her latest book. Her assistant, Francesca (played by Noemie Merlant) helps Lydia to navigate a very busy schedule not without observing her in the hope to become a conductor one day. Lydia lives in Berlin with her partner, Sharon, who plays the first violin in the orchestra (played by Nina Hoss), and their adopted daughter, Petra. Her life is turned upside down when she finds interest in the latest addition to the orchestra, a young Russian cellist, Olga (played by Sophie Kauer).

“It’s a very long journey in a very short period of time for her,” Field says to which Blanchett adds, “She’s definitely haunted by someone, by something. By her past, by herself, by past deeds… She was someone estranged from herself. And I think in a way, probably all the characters are. We all are. It’s human. You don’t have to be a concert pianist or the conductor of the world’s greatest orchestra to experience that feeling.” She confessed what she loves most about this film is that it “just is. It’s a very human portrait.”

Sophie Kauer, a 21-year-old British-German cellist was discovered through a casting call. Asked about her preparation for the role she admits with a smile: “I watched “10 Lessons On Film Acting by Michael Caine” on YouTube”. She also adds that her musical background helped her to embody a professional musician who speaks with a heavy Russian accent; “My musical ears really helped me in being able to learn languages in different dialects”.

In regard to her character, Noemie Merlant remarked: “To prepare this role, I was using the fact that Noemi was observing Cate during the whole process of creation when she was bringing to life Lydia.” However, Noemie adds that Cate is completely different from Lydia who helped her a lot at the beginning when the French actress was nervous.

Nina Hoss also expressed her gratuity towards Cate Blanchette, the director, and all the cast. The German actress confessed that during her preparations for the part, the fact that she could play piano, and violin helped her a lot. “It’s a very musical film to me because there’s a certain drive in it and a very steady pace”.

Cate Blanchett’s boundless talents are on display in this movie also: she played piano and conducted an orchestra impressively. She also spoke very good German. Answering the question about a search for her own identity, Cate Blanchett says: “I’ve never thought of my identity as being a static thing. I think I am still in the process of becoming who I am.”