Recent films focused on the conductor’s podium – Tár and Maestro – have entranced us with depictions of big personalities, even bigger egos and outlandish behaviours.

This film, directed by Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar, offers us something different – a story of an immensely talented but modest young woman who, aged 17, sets about becoming a conductor and forming her own orchestra. And it’s a true story at that.

Oulaya Amamra as Zahia Ziouani in Divertimento. Photo supplied

Determined and gifted, Zahia Ziouani’s dream is to pursue a conducting career but the odds are stacked against her. First, she’s a woman trying to enter a profession overwhelmingly dominated by men. Second, she’s from a family of working-class Algerian immigrants and this is France, circa 1995. When she does get the opportunity to conduct the privileged students of the prestigious Lycée Racine, she is disrespected, belittled and made the butt of snide jokes.

After watching Zahia (Oulaya Amamra) conduct in a class exercise, revered maestro Sergiu Celibidache (Niels Arestrup) takes an interest in her but not to the point where he places a protective wing around her. Celibidache is a stern taskmaster.

Divertimento is...