SXSW 2013 Preview: Danny Madden’s Euphonia

As with most festivals, SXSW is a breeding ground for experimentation. And 2013’s lineup is no different.

Euphonia comes to us from first time feature director Danny Madden, and while it looks like it may be your standard low budget drama, the film is as wonderful an experiment as you’ll find all year, but in a way not many films like to challenge its viewer.

Instead of being a narrative focused piece or even a visual experiment like most modern indie dramas, the film finds its lead unable to connect with the world unless he has his trusty sound recorder in hand. A breathtaking bit of sound design, the film is beautifully shot and well performed, but ultimately a brazen game changer in the world of sound design and editing. Over mixed for the natural sounds, the film’s soundtrack is ostensibly the sounds being picked up by our hero’s recorder, and in that, we have a far more visceral connection to the outside world.

Only clocking in at an hour in length, this may be one that people decide to skip over during this year’s SXSW Film Festival, but hopefully the short runtime will entice a few people to give over sixty minutes of their day to this rather superb debut film that may be light on a narrative, but is as thrilling a film aesthetically as you’ll see all year. Toss in some great performances and themes that anyone with any sort of memory pertaining to their youth can relate to, and you have quite an intriguing drama.

Here’s the trailer:

The film screens at SXSW:

Rollins Theater At The Long Center
7pm – March 9

Alamo Ritz 2
11am – March 12

Alamo Village
430pm – March 13