Academy Award-nominated composer Laura Karpman (American Fiction, The Love Hypothesis, East of Eden, Give Me The Ball!) makes her directorial debut with the Oscar-qualifying short documentary Cosmic Symphony. The film has been acquired by Billboard ahead of its fall festival premieres. The film will launch on the magazine’s digital channels and BillboardTV, available on Amazon Fire and Samsung TV+ on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Cosmic Symphony explores a truth that every musician knows: that musical instruments have souls. Four iconic instruments, including The Wizard of Oz and A Star Is Born pianos, all lost in the 2025 Los Angeles fires, are celebrated by John Clayton, Susie Chung, Starr Parodi and Diane Warren, culminating in an animated send-off toward an imagined future — a Cosmic Symphony.
“When a musician loses an instrument, they lose a part of themselves – their partner, their voice,” director Karpman says. “In the aftermath of the Los Angeles Fires, I felt a strong sense of urgency; my friends, musicians across Los Angeles, were experiencing profound loss, and their experiences needed to be captured. I envisioned this film, my first as a director, simultaneously as a requiem and a celebration. Somewhere in the heavens, these beloved instruments have formed a glorious orchestra — a cosmic symphony where every lost voice is restored. Cosmic Symphony memorializes the instruments, honors their journeys, and affirms the resilience of the human spirit. Each instrument lost represents a story interrupted, a melody waiting to be continued. Music, after all, is the language of survival — the force that keeps us connected even in the face of devastation.”
H.E.R. with Diane Warren in ‘Cosmic Symphony’
Executive producers include John Legend and Mike Jackson of Get Lifted Film Co., Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Rita Wilson, Christina Kounelias and Peter Rotter. Amy Andersson is a co-producer. Laura Karpman and Lorenza Muñoz serve as producers.
“Artists are the beating heart of Los Angeles, the creative capital of the world,” Legend says. “As artists, we know that instruments are core to the music we make. Cosmic Symphony is a thank you to all of the musical instruments that help us sing our song. As we look back on the immense tragedy of the fires of 2025, I’m inspired by the stories of loss and resilience that are portrayed in this film. I am so happy to join my friend Laura Karpman in celebrating the music of our city.”
“Cosmic Symphony is a beautiful reminder of how deeply music is tied to memory, identity and community,” Jackson says. “Laura has created something that honors what was lost while also celebrating the artists and stories that endure. We’re proud to be part of a film that captures the resilience of Los Angeles and the extraordinary role music plays in bringing people together.”
Wilson adds: “Laura Karpman’s short documentary film Cosmic Symphony illuminates for us how instruments are not inanimate objects that have no life. They are our friends, our confidants, our family. And just like those friends and family, they have lives that preceded, sometimes even our own lives. They bring their history to each musician who plays them, and to each of us who listens. It’s been an honor being a part of this film. I doubt I will ever be able to look at an instrument in the same way again without the distinct feeling that each instrument has had a life of its own.”
The film will have its Los Angeles premiere Monday, Oct. 26, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. The screening will culminate in a concert performance featuring the musicians in the film and more. All proceeds will go toward MusiCares, music’s largest provider of financial assistance and preventive services, offering trusted support for basic living needs, health care, mental health, addiction recovery and disaster relief to everyone working in music. Details and free ticket information can be found here.
