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'Two Hands,' an Oscar Nominee with Heart

Pianist Leon Fleisher is the subject of the Oscar-nominated short documentary <em>Two Hands</em>.
Fred Dufour
/
Getty Images
Pianist Leon Fleisher is the subject of the Oscar-nominated short documentary Two Hands.

Leon Fleisher, a celebrated pianist, was forced from the concert stage when he lost the use of his right hand.

His 30-year saga to resume his career is the subject of an Oscar-nominated short documentary by filmmaker Nathaniel Kahn, Two Hands.

Kahn was nominated for an Academy Award in 2003 for the documentary My Architect, about searching for a father he never really knew.

In Two Hands, the camera captures subtle, emotional moments as the pianist tries everything from hypnosis to tiger balm to heal himself. Through a series of interviews and concert pieces, Fleisher's injured hand becomes a central character.

Kahn tells Liane Hansen about the movie and the challenges of documentary filmmaking.

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