Pianoman
Seen at the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival
People who work behind the scenes at the service of art do not get the credit they deserve. I’m not talking about producers or production designers or those whom help create they art. I’m talking about people who work on the equipment used to either make art, or allow it to be presented to the public. When I was a projectionist, I always took great care and pride in how I worked, trying to make sure the customers got the presentation of the film they deserved. I feel that same pride and care in watching David Avendano throughout “Pianoman”- he doesn’t play the pianos he restores or repairs, but he views what he does as important in preserving them, allowing them to let their performers shine. His role is vital to art, even if audiences don’t realize it.
David is a Mexican immigrant who came here with his father as a child; gradually, his brothers have made their way to the US as well, and they all work repairing pianos in a warehouse. David is here illegally, and the only way he has been able to stay is by marrying Claudia, whom has worked herself ragged raising their three children. Claudia never really saw marriage for herself, but for David’s sake- and for her children’s sake- she did marry him. The tension in their marriage, as we see it come through in the film, reflects this, as David is struggling to keep them afloat financially while also struggling with Joe, the leaseholder on the space he uses for his work, as David discovers just how far behind Joe is with paying the rent. This film encapsulates so many working class struggles in its 52 minute running time that you might wonder how director Sunny Liu maintains focus. By keeping it on David, who may not always be the most sympathetic protagonist- he seems oblivious, at times, with the real cracks in his marriage- but he is always empathetic, Liu gives us the throughline to watch their film with.
Watching David work is truly a pleasure. As someone who has found themselves transitioning into a career doing manual labor in the recent past, I’m fascinated by how Liu shows David’s work, the methodical nature of working with the individual keys, putting the strings in place, and rebuilding the piano in front of our very eyes. It’s a rewarding process to watch, which makes David’s financial struggles throughout the film that much harder to view. For him, he’d rather just be left alone to his work. The financial challenge of following your passion is something myself- and many others- are acutely aware of; seeing him work through it makes “Pianoman’s” finale that much more of a reason to stand up and applaud.
