Sound of Falling (2025)
Sounds of falling asleep.
Presentation:
This film takes cues from German Netflix series Dark as well as Tarkovsky films. It’s similarly comparable to Cure for it’s incredible audiovisual experience, but with contemporary touches. In the best way possible, there’s a droning atmosphere in this film that nearly made me fall asleep. The visuals are also quite sensorial with artistic out of focus shots and other post editing blur, making it one of the most cinematic films of 2025. The German film follows 4 generations of women in a troubled family with many secrets. The film is not short, and unfortunately does very little in the story department. Any plot reveals or connecting of the dots happen in the very last 5 minutes, and it’s not particularly satisfying. So you should walk into this prepared for its experience as a mood piece rather than its substance.
Analysis:
The thematic substance of this film simply put is the generational trauma and depression for women at the beheadst of men. I'm not sure the film articulated the male perpetrator well given that they are also victims, but let's just roll with it. The sufferings ultimately manifest through suicide, and falling. Falling is symbolic because it suggests a fall of status, implying there was once a position of higher standing. So this metaphor isn't a perfect match, but potentially a great metaphor for the fall of a family through women.
Conclusion:
Sounds of generational trauma? Although I really enjoyed the visuals and audio, I can’t in good conscience recommend this film. Pretty much all films made today have fantastic cinematography, that’s doesn’t mean you can’t also have a good story. This is an avant-garde art film, completely appealing to feel and vibe. But even with its themes, I’m pretty dubious people will feel anything other than the need to stroke their cinephile beards and flannel shirts. I like this film and am proud to promote it on Filmspice, which probably should be more recognized as a contender for best cinematography in 2025.
Recommendations
VHS killed the video star.