A thunderous redefinition of the ensemble film, or rather, a return to its original meaning: a group of voices rising together, in unison. Song of Breath is a rare object, a film where hearing—and all that it perceives, from the low rumble of a didgeridoo to the friction of a human throat—takes precedence over moving images. It feels like stepping into an alternate history of cinema: one in which sound came first. A time when cinema was purely sonic, and the image arrived only later, as a counterpoint, a kind of visual overtone. Simona Canonica’s film reminds us that every image can also be a reservoir of sound, such as the crafting of a musical instrument, the delicate shaping of a violin’s back - even the untouched wood of a living tree creaking softly in the breeze. This film is a powerful reconsideration of the unspoken hierarchy between two of our five senses, through which Canonica reveals the political dimension of sound, its alternate temporality, and the possibilities opened up by its seeming invisibility.
Dimitri de Preux (Visions du Reel 2025)

Director:              Simona Canonica

Screenplay:         Simona Canonica

                            Rico Andriolo 

                            Daniela Persico

                            Dario D'Amato

Sound:                 Rico Andriolo

Cinematography: Bastian Esser

Editing:                 Enrico Giovannone

Production:           Amel Soudani

                             Nicola Bernasconi Amka Films Productions SA

                             Daniele Segre Redibis Film

                             Daniele De Ciccio Redibis Film