Written and directed by award-winner Todd Field, Tár is a psychological drama starring Cate Blanchett as a fictional and celebrated conductor and composer.

The movie introduces Tár at the height of her career, as she’s preparing both a book launch and a much-anticipated live performance of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. Over the ensuing weeks, her life unravels in a singularly modern way. The result is a searing examination of power and its impact and durability in today’s society.

Set in Berlin, Lydia Tár struggles emotionally with life as she prepares for her symphony recording. Her adopted daughter Petra, played by Mila Bogojevic, gives her emotional support as Lydia comes to terms with being a formidable international classical musician.

Todd Field only had Blanchett in mind for this role. “This script was written for one artist, Cate Blanchett. Had she said no, the film would have never seen the light of day. Filmgoers, amateur and otherwise, will not be surprised by this. After all, she is a master supreme.

“Even so, while we were making the picture, the superhuman skill and verisimilitude of Cate was something truly astounding to behold. She raised all boats. The privilege of collaborating with an artist of this caliber is something impossible to adequately describe. In every possible way, this is Cate’s film.”

“Cate and I started our work together in September 2020,” says Field. “She made two other films while she prepared for TÁR. She’d wrap during the day and call me at night, then put in several more hours of work. She learned to speak German, play the piano —yes that’s Cate playing, every note—and performed the most exhaustive amount of research. She’s a real autodidact, and she accomplished more in a year—again while making two other films—than Lydia Tár herself would have in 25. During production, she didn’t sleep.

“After a day of shooting, she’d go straight to a piano, German, American-dialect, or baton technique/beat pattern lesson. She spent her “day off” on a racetrack mapped out to the precise dimensions as the roundabout at Alexanderplatz to rehearse a scene with Nina Hoss while swerving and braking at 60 miles per hour between eight cars driven by stunt people. There was absolutely nothing we could throw at her that she wouldn’t run with. She set the bar for everyone, and we had to do everything we possibly could just to try to keep up with her.”

Blanchett relished the intellectual charge of Field’s script but connected with the story, first, on an instinctual, human level. “I could see there were many, many layers to peel back as I, along with the audience, discovered who this fascinating enigma Lydia Tár was. Todd has created an utterly unique creature.” Blanchett was also fascinated by the script’s rhythmic musical qualities and Todd’s unique approach to depicting the character.

“I am very language focused, and when I read the script, there were many reference points I simply was not familiar with. I knew I needed to understand them inside and out so that the audience would trust that the character knew exactly what she was talking about at all times. Strangely, the audience does not need to know these references at all, they just need to know that Lydia is a genius.”

“I was riveted by this portrait of a woman unravelling, but I also responded to the script on a rhythmic level through the music. Music is often a key for me as an actor for unlocking a character or the atmosphere to finding a connection to the story. Todd’s film was turbocharged for me in this regard.”