Echoes Of You

The spirit of fairy tale runs through this elegantly made and elegiac short film by Henry Quilici. It offers a study - etude would perhaps be a more appropriate term - of Andrew (Laurence Fuller), who is an accomplished pianist, even if, as we quickly discover, he's working as a janitor in a concert hall - this first 'reveal' cleverly realised. Practising on the grand piano during his break, one day he discovers a young street kid (Zakary Risinger) lurking in the back alley behind the venue. Before long, the pair spark up a tentative friendship through a shared love of music.

It's a simple enough story - one that aims for a fable rather than neo-realist vibe, so don't expect social commentary here - but simplicity can be strength and Quilici shows considerable aptitude in its telling. He dispenses with a reliance on script, which when it appears, is on the ungainly side, in favour of smoothly constructed montage. Much of this is set to the film's lyrical piano theme Echoes of You - composed by the director's brother Max, who may find his talents in demand after this.

The music is a strength and Quilici plays to it, allowing the piece space to generate empathy and connection with his characters. Cinematographer Jesse Aragon, meanwhile, finds some nice contrasts between the warm half-light of the concert hall and the starker setting of the alleyway as the film slowly builds to an emotional crescendo, deftly hitting the right notes.