TESTIMONY tells the story of the turbulent life of the great Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Most importantly for a movie about a composer, there is always the feeling that Tony Palmer understands the music. Palmer puts to rest the cliché that the private Shostakovich is only to be found in his chamber music but he also brings vividly alive musical details in color sequences showing the orchestra, as in the climax of the Fifth. Starring Ben Kingsley.