"They Came To Play" At the 23rd annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival.

The Boca Raton Symphonia sponsored “They came to play” at the 23rd annual Fort Lauderdale international Film Festival on October 25th, 2008 which was hosted by Classical South Florida, 89.7 FM and 101.9 FM. It won the Documentary Audience Favorite Award at FLIFF. Attended by over 100, a second screening was organized due to popular demand! ‘They Came to Play’ is a feature-length documentary about the Fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, hosted by the Van Cliburn Foundation. The film was attended by the director, Alex Rotaru, the producer, Lori Miller and the Executive Producer, Ronnie Planalp.

The film portrays several multi-talented amateur pianists as they strive to balance their work, home and musical lives. Many of them have overcome extraordinary challenges -- like drug addiction, AIDS, heartbreak, or political asylum -- and they all share an overwhelming need to express themselves, musically and otherwise. Their intense preparation comes to a climax during the week-long competition when they perform in front of a professional jury and discerning audience, in three nerve-racking elimination rounds.