Film review: 'Beyond Silence'
"Beyond Silence", an Academy Awards nominee from Germany with sign language and English subtitles, is a beautifully made drama starring unknowns about a girl living in two worlds: the visual playground/prison of her deaf parents and the audible gardens of voices and music.
German documentarian and filmmaker Caroline Link has an open, inviting style that reflects the generally upbeat story line. She co-wrote the lively screenplay with Beth Serlin. The female point of view and conscientious use of sign language throughout are two more reasons why this Miramax release will win fans among foreign-film savvy audiences but not break out of limited theatrical release.
The lyrical, nicely paced first part of "Beyond Silence" features the lead as a smart, growing girl with good hearing. Lara (Tatjana Trieb) has trouble with reading and kids at school make fun of her, but she loves bearish Martin (Howie Seago) and pretty Kai (Emmanuelle Laborit), her deaf parents who rely on her to hear the phone ring and translate conversations.
From her mischievous miscommunicating skills to an instant love affair with the clarinet, Lara is a likable, impatient rebel who bonds in a major way with her fun-loving aunt (Sibylle Canonica), Martin's sister who refuses to use sign language. Martin fears he's losing his daughter, while Kai consuls him to let Lara roam and make her own decisions.
Years pass and the film loses some of its fresh appeal as Lara (Sylvie Testud) transforms into a curly haired teenage prodigy on a quest to leave home and study at the conservatory in Berlin. She makes her escape, but tragedy looms and Martin becomes even more possessive. Against the odds, Lara finds love and accolades as a clarinet-playing princess with a bright future.
The performances are terrific, particularly Trieb, Canonica and Laborit. Testud and Seago provide a satisfying, moving resolution to the strained father-daughter relationship of their characters. The film lags a bit toward the end, but it's always visually enticing and thought-provoking in a non-preachy way.
BEYOND SILENCE
Miramax Films
Buena Vista International
A Claussen+Wobke Film Prods.
and Roxy Film-Luggi Waldleitner production
A Caroline Link film
Director: Caroline Link
Producers: Thomas Wobke,
Jacob Claussen, Luggi Waldleitner
Screenwriters: Caroline Link, Beth Serlin
Executive producer: Uli Putz
Director of photography: Gernot Roll
Production designer: Susann Bieling
Editor: Patricia Rommel
Costume designer: Katharina von Martius
Music: Niki Reiser
Casting: Risa Kes
Color/stereo
Cast:
Lara: Sylvie Testud
Lara as a child: Tatjana Trieb
Martin: Howie Seago
Kai: Emmanuelle Laborit
Clarissa: Sibylle Canonica
Gregor: Matthias Habich
Marie: Alexandra Bolz
Running time -- 105 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
German documentarian and filmmaker Caroline Link has an open, inviting style that reflects the generally upbeat story line. She co-wrote the lively screenplay with Beth Serlin. The female point of view and conscientious use of sign language throughout are two more reasons why this Miramax release will win fans among foreign-film savvy audiences but not break out of limited theatrical release.
The lyrical, nicely paced first part of "Beyond Silence" features the lead as a smart, growing girl with good hearing. Lara (Tatjana Trieb) has trouble with reading and kids at school make fun of her, but she loves bearish Martin (Howie Seago) and pretty Kai (Emmanuelle Laborit), her deaf parents who rely on her to hear the phone ring and translate conversations.
From her mischievous miscommunicating skills to an instant love affair with the clarinet, Lara is a likable, impatient rebel who bonds in a major way with her fun-loving aunt (Sibylle Canonica), Martin's sister who refuses to use sign language. Martin fears he's losing his daughter, while Kai consuls him to let Lara roam and make her own decisions.
Years pass and the film loses some of its fresh appeal as Lara (Sylvie Testud) transforms into a curly haired teenage prodigy on a quest to leave home and study at the conservatory in Berlin. She makes her escape, but tragedy looms and Martin becomes even more possessive. Against the odds, Lara finds love and accolades as a clarinet-playing princess with a bright future.
The performances are terrific, particularly Trieb, Canonica and Laborit. Testud and Seago provide a satisfying, moving resolution to the strained father-daughter relationship of their characters. The film lags a bit toward the end, but it's always visually enticing and thought-provoking in a non-preachy way.
BEYOND SILENCE
Miramax Films
Buena Vista International
A Claussen+Wobke Film Prods.
and Roxy Film-Luggi Waldleitner production
A Caroline Link film
Director: Caroline Link
Producers: Thomas Wobke,
Jacob Claussen, Luggi Waldleitner
Screenwriters: Caroline Link, Beth Serlin
Executive producer: Uli Putz
Director of photography: Gernot Roll
Production designer: Susann Bieling
Editor: Patricia Rommel
Costume designer: Katharina von Martius
Music: Niki Reiser
Casting: Risa Kes
Color/stereo
Cast:
Lara: Sylvie Testud
Lara as a child: Tatjana Trieb
Martin: Howie Seago
Kai: Emmanuelle Laborit
Clarissa: Sibylle Canonica
Gregor: Matthias Habich
Marie: Alexandra Bolz
Running time -- 105 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
- 6/5/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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