JIFF26 The Soundman

Set on the brink of the Nazi invasion of Belgium in 1940, this engrossing and sensorial drama tells the story of a radio apprentice and a rising actress as their paths cross amidst rising antisemitism and a world edging towards war.  Inside the famed Flagey Building – the Art Deco “cathedral” where Belgian national radio is produced and broadcast – 18-year-old Berre rises through the ranks, from apprentice to engineer, creating transportive radio drama soundscapes. His key collaborator is Elza, a Jewish actress whose family is living in Belgium illegally. As their professional relationship blossoms alongside their public work, so too does the imminent threat of German invasion and political suspicion surrounding them.  Director Frank Can Passel immerses us in this story with lush period detail, luminous  visuals and a completely unique approach to sound design and song, crafting a tragicomic and thrilling film about the struggle to retain humanity through invention and storytelling in a world that is collapsing into war.