Julio Dowansingh | Louder than Words / 2017

a body in movement without sound

by Douglas Messerli

 

Julio Dowansingh (screenwriter and director) Louder than Words / 2017 [16.30 minutes]

 

Ansel (Luke Farley) is a guitar player new to the arts school he is attending. Upon his arrival to the school’s central building he discovers that the music hall is locked for the month, and is given, at least at first, a rather chilly greeting when he meets ups with the dancers Kenya (Apryl Wilson) and Niall (Marty Lauter), particularly when he asks for rain check when they invite him out for dinner.

   Luke is now dependent upon using a corner of their space, Kenya seeming somewhat off-putting, although Niall soon after appears to be more inviting.

      For the rest of the next few days, he sits in a corner as Niall performs his modern ballet movements, only later discovering that the reason the dancer has remained so quiet was that he is deaf, the obtuse Ansel responding, “Wow, that’s insane…and you…dance?” asking the question as if the two might somehow be at odds with one another. Kenya suggests that Niall is pretty good at reading lips too, hinting that he might have

found Ansel’s question somewhat offensive. But Ansel, obviously not picking up on the matter suggests to Niall that he should get his bicycle fixed (the chain seems to be loose), but when Niall responds with a simple salute, suggesting “Thanks I will!” Ansel seems unable to comprehend anything and immediately escapes, suggesting that he has no apparent interest in trying to better know his new friend.

      The next day as he helps to put up some new posters, Ansel does ask further questions, however. “When did you lose your hearing?” for example, Niall seeming to suggest that he lost his hearing at the age of 4. Ansel asks one more question, a seemingly interesting one, “Are you and Kenya…” Niall interrupts to mouth the word “no,” but then puts his fingers together in a way that one suspects means “we’re just friends” but also reads to a non-signer as if they might be very close, perhaps contradicting his first mouthed expression.

      The next day after strumming a few bars Ansel goes over Niall and sits upon the floor where he is working out to ask him “Can you hear the music?” Niall waves his hand to suggest that he sort of hears it, and the guitarist asks “How?” which Niall pushes his open hands to the floor in a rhythm pattern as if to suggest that it might be in the sound waves.

      When Ansel leaves later in the evening, Niall goes to his guitar and plucks a few random and atonal chords, putting his ear to the instrument to see if he can indeed hear the music. Ansel returns in the background, observing his attempts.

         Soon after, as Niall makes a spin, Ansel moves forward and asks him to “show me some moves.” He asks Niall to show him how to “make that spinney thing you do on your toes. The dancer repeats the spin, as Ansel removes his overshirt so that Niall can position, raising his hand, placing his feet into the proper stance. Ansel responds, this should be simple and attempts the spin, falling flat on the floor, Niall also falling to the floor, laughing in silent “belly laugh.”  Ansel helps him up suggesting, “I guess dance just isn’t my thing. As the two handsome boys stand face to face, Niall moves toward Ansel with the clear intention of a kiss. Immediately Ansel backs off, insisting, “I should get going,” as we walks off. Niall, embarrassed for the come-on is nearly emotionally devastated. He has evidently thoroughly misread Ansel’s sexuality.

      In the next scene we see Ansel sitting with his guitar in the room, several pieces of paper crunched up beside him. Kenya enters, grabbing one of the crumpled pieces, asking “Writers block?” “Do you want to talk about?” she further probes. But Ansel, true to his inability to properly communicate, responds “Not really.” She watches attempting to write out another note, asking it she might see it. She looks at the paper. “He’s freaking out, you know.”

       Niall answers that he knows, that he hadn’t wanted to offend him, and she suggests that he simply talk to him. But in the next frame, Ansel has obviously chosen to wander off yet again and as we see Kenya trying to comfort Niall, he responding in what is still apparent self-recrimination. He turns momentarily away from her in anger, and she leaves, Ansel, unknown to Niall, taking her place. When Niall turns, he is face to face with his former friend who suddenly signs, “I’m sorry, N-A-I-L-L,” speaking the words “that’s all I’ve learned so far.” Niall attempts to sign an answer, but Ansell grabs his head to bring it near and suddenly kisses him before walking off once more, leaving Niall with his jaw open in amazement.

        Clearly, the two are interested in one another sexually, but Ansel simply needs more time to learn how to communicate, to express his love to the other. It is obvious that the musician is terrified of a body in movement without sound.

        Julio Dowansingh’s film is quite complex and fascinating in its exploration of the difficulties that deaf individuals obviously face in dealing with those who cannot or will not learn their languages. It’s too bad that the cinematographer couldn’t visually equal the intensity of the script filming the work as he did in such muted colors that it might as well have been in black-and-white.

I have somewhat brightened the colors of the stills I chose so they might be read upon the page.

 

Los Angeles, August 21, 2022

Reprinted from World Cinema Review (August 2022).