They are over eighty, some are in their 90s, sometimes they can be over a hundred years old. These are the nine Danes in Zara Zerny’s Echo of You who tell of things that have passed. With eyes closed, hands on faces raised upwards, it is as if they can still see their beloved deceased partners. They relay the details of where they met, what they ate, what they said, what they wore, how they kissed. Through their closed eyes we are taken back to that time and that place – and it is a wondrous experience, which immediately says everything about the power of memory.
The strength of the documentary lies in the way these people, as ordinary as they are extraordinary, responded to the request to participate in the documentary. They have opened up to the makers, telling freely – sometimes perhaps even for the first time – about the space in their lives that is still occupied by their loved ones. They are filmed within their own environment, and the atmosphere and their chosen colours perfectly match what they want tell. Sometimes it is a bedroom with a bed they now sleep in alone, or a table with too much space, or a couch where the imprint of that other person is almost visible.
Everything speaks of love and respect for the characters and the subjects they touch on. The stories, which sometimes come with tears and visible pain, are carefully mixed with wistful personal archive – photographs that come to life, videos that complement or illustrate the stories. A nice, original addition is that the image is sometimes projected over the speaking storyteller – suddenly taking him or her physically back into the past.
The trust that the characters have in the creators is also evident in the way they move in front of the camera: in romantic, dreamlike sequences, dancing alone or with the image of their partner. But also performing acrobatic feats – the amazingly lithe circus performer clearly takes pleasure in his demonstration, even if it is a bit more awkward than in the projected clips.
Echo of You reaches your soul, through the heartfelt feelings of those who survived their partners – or who lost them to Alzheimer’s – and through the questions they raise. What do you want to remember, at the end of your life? How do you want to be remembered? How can you cherish your memories? And what is a life you cannot share with others?
Echo of You, 76 min, Denmark
Director Zara Zerny
Production Maria Møller Kjeldgaard
Cinematography Jacob Sofussen
Editing Sofie Steenberger
Sound Design Teis Syvsig, Bobby Salomon
Music Viktor Dahl
Involved TV Channel DR
Screening copy Manna Film
