Feeling “Supersonic”: An Incluvie Film Festival review.
Supersonic is a joy to watch. Like all good movies, it begins at a party — where Wahid is attempting to chat with a pretty girl. Visually, the neon blues and pinks of the party make it very striking to look at. The framing of Wahid, most often in single shots in the corner of frames, or pushed in by walls or other objects, really reflects the struggle for connection that Wahid faces. Wahid is hard of hearing, so we see how he struggles with people not taking the time to connect with him. Except when he meets Samar. The two meet on the dance floor and connect through music. They appear in one of the first two-shots and without a line of dialogue have the closest relationship yet on screen. Later, after Wahid makes his way to talk to her, his hearing aid malfunctions, and we go back to lonely single shots. The main conflict of the film is Wahid trying to keep up with the relationship off of the dance floor.
After the party. The neon blues and pinks are replaced with clear greys and busy streets as we see the other ways in which Wahid struggles to connect, whether at work or on the phone with his mom. He also struggles with how to see Samar again, as he didn’t hear where he was supposed to meet her. This unique perspective bleeds into the sound editing in a way that is particularly impressive. The sound lowers and heightens in accordance with what setting Wahid’s hearing aid is on, and if a gust of wind limits what he can hear, it limits the audience as well. People seem to say a garbled mash of words when his hearing aid acts up or loses battery. We are thrust into Wahid’s world very clearly and experience it the way he does. The actors do a great job of this, as the audio isn’t garbled at all, people say nonsense words and deliver them exactly as though they were saying what they were supposed to. The connection and body language between the two main actors is palpable, which is also commendable.
Supersonic, is an emblem for why we need diverse voices not only starring in but making films. The big take away from the movie is not that people aren’t different, but that the difference between isolation and connection is often someone being willing to take the time to learn. As Samar and Wahid learn, our differences are often far outmatched by our capacity to love.
Find the film here!
