For the dreamy Berre, the world is made of sounds. He records them, collects them, and creates them himself. Everyday noises—the hum of engines, the grind of a coffee mill, the tap of fingers on a table—immediately spark his imagination: What does this sound like, and what story could it tell?
In the Flagey Building in Brussels, a spectacular Art Deco “cathedral” and the world’s largest radio station in 1940, Berre is in his element. As an intern in the sound department for radio dramas, his talent flourishes, and he is suddenly forced to take on unexpected responsibilities. Yet the looming German invasion creates an atmosphere of suspicion, and his love for his Jewish colleague Elza is overshadowed by the danger surrounding her family, who are living in hiding in Belgium. The film traces this dark turn of events poetically, without ever diminishing its gravity.
A defining feature of the film’s atmosphere is its lovingly created sound design, which includes an improvised musical number and a singing contest in the spirit of CASABLANCA. In Berre’s sweeping composition for Elza, the world of sound becomes a metaphor for the deep, inseparable connection between people—and especially for the bond between Elza and Berre.
Text: Susanne Stern