IMDb > Soundless Wind Chime (2009)

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Soundless Wind Chime (2009) -- kino-zeit.de - Trailer (Flash) (German)
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Overview

User Rating:
6.7/10   47 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Wing Kit Hung
Writer:
Wing Kit Hung (story)
Contact:
View company contact information for Soundless Wind Chime on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
23 July 2009 (Hong Kong) more
Genre:
Drama
Plot:
Ricky leaves Hong Kong for Switzerland to look for the lost soul and the past of his deceased Swiss lover, Pascal. Ricky struggles with the confusion of memories, reality and illusion. | add synopsis
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Torino Glbt Film Festival Awards 2009
 (From Alternative Film Guide. 3 May 2009, 12:57 AM, PDT)
Torino Glbt Film Festival 2009: Todd Stephens, Adorfo Arrieta
 (From Alternative Film Guide. 28 April 2009, 3:03 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Move Thee Reviews: In Search of Traces of the Deceased through a Dreamlike Amalgam of Reality, Memories and Imagination more (1 total)

Cast

  (Credited cast)
Yulai Lu ... Ricky
Bernhard Bulling ... Pascal / Ueli
Wong Siu Ying ... Popo
Li Fong ... Restaurant Owner
Wella Zhang ... Aunt
Hannes Lindenblatt ... Marcus
Gilles Tschudi ... Father
Ruth Schwegler ... Mother / Fairy Lady
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
Germany:110 min (Berlin International Film Festival)
Country:
Hong Kong | Switzerland | China
Language:
English | German | Cantonese
Color:
Color
Certification:
Hong Kong:IIB
Filming Locations:
Beijing, China more
Company:
10mm Films more

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User Comments

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful.
Move Thee Reviews: In Search of Traces of the Deceased through a Dreamlike Amalgam of Reality, Memories and Imagination, 7 July 2009
7/10
Author: Kenji Chan from Hong Kong

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Amalgamating reality with memories and imagination, Soundless Wind Chime is a dreamlike journey on which Ricky embarks in search of traces of his lover who has passed away.

When our lovers pass away, we tend to search for connections with them in a number of ways. We may call them and wonder if they will answer the call. We may visit their places and hug their belongings. We may believe a wind chime will ring when the souls come back as moths. Despite our awareness of their death, it is difficult for us to "let go" and we unconsciously want to get in touch with them. At the end of the film, the wind chime does not ring, which conveys a message that we have to accept the death of our beloved people, no matter how much we miss them.

The director's attempt to blur the boundary between reality, memories and imagination is much appreciated. For example, when an old lady with Alzheimer's disease suddenly and surrealistically sings and dances, it can be Ricky's imagination or the lady's memory. When Ricky's mother who is very sick can sing and walk, one may wonder if it is a sudden spurt of activity prior to collapse or just her imagination. In Switzerland, does Ricky really meet someone who looks like Pasgel or is it just his imagination that Pasgel is still with him? Switzerland, Hong Kong and Beijing are beautifully shot and their unique features are successfully highlighted. For instance, the Hong Kong scenes show an old fashioned Hong Kong Style Café, Tenement House and Hong Kong trams (Ding Ding). Besides, the snowy mountains in Switzerland are breathtaking and the taxis in Beijing are very different from the ones in Hong Kong. These images will surely linger in your mind when you leave the cinema. What's more, I agree with the director that the Swiss scenes are more static than the Hong Kong scenes and the Beijing scenes are most realistic. I also agree that the Swiss scenes shot in winter capture the emptiness of the silent landscape, while the Hong Kong scenes shot in summer show the hustle and bustle of city life. This contrast symbolizes that Ricky and Pascal are physically distant. Apart from these, using a hand-held camera fits this dreamlike movie.

The mesmerizing music, spiced with a hypnotizing female voice and some sounds of a wind chime, not only matches the rhythm of this dreamlike story, but also adds melancholy and elegance to this soul-seeking journey. The haunting Chinese song sung by a little girl at the end of the movie also beautifully conveys Ricky's feelings.

Lu Yulai acts quite naturally, while Bernhard Bulling slightly underacts his dual role as Pascal and Ueli who have very different personalities. The actress who plays an old lady with Alzheimer's disease delivers the most memorable performance and the middle-aged women working in the Hong Kong style café act very naturally and bring the audience the most hilarious moment, despite their brief appearances in the film.

Despite the above-mentioned strengths, the movie is not flawless. First, the story interweaving the present with the past, combined with three shooting locations and the director's attempt to blur the boundary between reality and imagination, seems too much for a novice director to handle, which may lead to difficulty in following the story and understanding the messages, though I concur with the director that it may be a good idea to present a film about memories in a non-chronological fashion. Second, Ricky's motive for inviting a pickpocket to live with him is unclear and their relationship worsens too suddenly. Their relationship can be further developed so that more snippets of their love story can be recalled.

On the whole, Soundless Wind Chime, a poetic feast to the eyes and ears, will cast a spell over the audience. As a director's debut feature, this beautiful movie is definitely worth our support.

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