NYFF 2020: The Human Voice
nyff 2020In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the worldwide film production industry grinded to a screeching halt. Big-budget studio films were delayed or put on hold as new voices found innovative ways to produce films in the digital world or ways to film in isolation. However, becoming one of the first shorts to start and complete production in the COVID pandemic, Pedro Almodovar’s The Human Voice is able to remind us of a time before the madness. The film, however, still harbours isolationist themes which result in a strange feeling of relevance throughout each aspect of the entire project.
In The Human Voice, Almodovar is able to use the thirty-minute runtime and imbue it with the style and panache that he has made his own. With vivid colour palettes, impeccable set design and dialogue that will break your heart, it's clear that Almodovar was given full reign to explore this world however he wished.
Tilda Swinton, too, shines in her lead role. Much of the film is centred around a one-sided conversation between her and her ex-lover, and would simply not work without her nuanced performance. Expressing an impressive range of emotions as she traverses the journey to find catharsis for her past actions, her performance is one that will make this short something to remember.
Overall, The Human Voice is a brilliantly-told reflection of our deepest fears and insecurities amidst such uncertain times. While it's clear Almodovar and Swinton bring the best out of each other, this is their first notable cinematic collaboration, and one can only hope that this short has signalled the beginning of a new legendary partnership for years to come.