Someone once told me that music is life–and that more or less it’s what makes the world go around. The Silent Echo tells the story of four close knit kids who not only love music, but have an affinity for it and live it as well. They live in a remote village, and they spend their time practicing their music in an abandoned bus. When these four friends hear of a band competition in the adjacent town, they decide that the best course of action is to join and show the world what they are made of. Whether the competition goes as planned or not, they have one another to lean on.
I heard a riddle: “What natural phenomenon can speak any language?” And the answer is “an echo.” This idea is beautifully represented in The Silent Echo. As the kids practice their music, they can hear their music and their voices echoing through the beautiful halls of the canyons that sit before them. What they hear back is their music for sure, but they hear more than that–they hear the language of love, of passion, of friendship, and that’s a beautiful thing. What Writer-Director Suman Sen does is create a story and a phenomenon that appeals to everyone. If you don’t speak Nepali (the language spoken throughout The Silent Echo), that’s alright–because the impressive and moving sounds that exist throughout the entirety of the film can reach anyone, no matter the language you speak. Many films aim to bring people together, to allow them to see that they have more in common than they may originally believe, but The Silent Echo takes it to an entirely different level.
Innocence, beyond anything else in The Silent Echo, is what manages to take hold of viewers. The film’s four leads, Kunsang (Kunsang Gurung), Tashi (Tashi Wangdue Gurung), Pema (Pema Wangyal Gurung), and Tsering (Tsering Dhundup Gurung), work together well to convey a sense of innocence, a naivety. While this might seem out of place in a film about musical competition, it’s actually quite welcoming. It’s wonderful to see that innocence is still present in this changing world, because it reminds us that, while life often looks harrowing online or in the news, there is beauty that still exists. In addition to that, however, the innocence creates a sense of sadness as well. That, too, is welcoming. It’s hard to swallow when you see these young musicians struggling with the world, but it’s honest–and that creates a level of acceptance, accessibility, and understanding throughout The Silent Echo.
There’s a clear juxtaposition that occurs between when the characters are present in their, quote–unquote, happy place and when they are immersed in the strenuous competition. That juxtaposition allows viewers to see the difference between the instances in the characters’ lives, and we feel present in those lives. The Silent Echo invites us into their lives, makes us a part of their journey, and the contrast of the different settings allows the world to better understand all that Sen creates and all that these characters experience throughout.
It’s important to note the setting of the abandoned bus, the one in which the friends sit and practice their music. It sits, alone, in the middle of what appears to be endless, dry land. Viewers are able to see for miles in any direction, but they struggle to see even a glimpse of civilization until Sen and Director of Photography Zoaher Musavvir want them to. This seemingly never ending desert is oddly welcoming, and it allows viewers to understand why the kids would find solace here, why they would choose this place over any other. The cinematography and the direction of Sen is brilliantly done, and it’s one of the primary reasons why The Silent Echo is so inviting.
Such a simple concept of four children joining a band competition, but it spirals into something far more important, far more tangible than I could have expected. The Silent Echo has the potential to be so meaningful to those who watch–and it mirrors so many of the wild institutions that exist in the real world. The Silent Echo, whether you expect it to or not, will move you in multiple ways, never relenting, and effectively reaching viewers in the best possible ways.
Written & Directed by Suman Sen.
Starring Kunsang Gurang, Tashi Wangdue Durung, Pema Wangyal Gurung, Tsering Dhunup Gurung, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
Comments