Anonymity reigns in big cities. The British capital is home to more than eight million inhabitants, yet most of these people live exceptionally lonely existences. They are completely oblivious to their next-door neighbours. An impoverished council block in South London is no exception. People carry on with their mundane tasks mostly indifferent to the predicament of the persons living just behind their bedroom wall.
The Hidden Subject explores the small signifiers of these lonely and insular routines: watching television, cooking, washing yourself and so on. The noises penetrate the unwilling walls, forcing reluctant neighbours to share at least a little bit of their intimacy. These sounds are extremely well crafted, in a movie equally devoted to cinematography and audio engineering.
For 11 minutes, you will be immersed into the lives of the less fortunate Londoners. People anywhere in the world will relate to these very brief yet very moving snapshots of real life, particularly as they experience solitude and confinement themselves due to the pandemic. Be prepared for a heartbreaking revelation at the end, when a cinema projector becomes a life-saving staple. This is a short film that will stay with you long after it finished.
Amanda Gracioli’s award-winning documentary The Hidden Subject is available to watch just here:
