My Favourite Film

If I had to choose a favourite film, my top choice would be A Silent Voice, an animated film released in 2017. It was so quick to captivate me with its gut-wrenching story line, I became entangled with the characters and their struggles, although the film is animated, their emotions felt so raw and unfiltered and I found myself becoming emotionally invested in the characters developments and breakthroughs. The plot of the film is simple but meaningful, Shouko Nishimiya transfers to a brand new school for new beginnings, with Shouko being deaf, her struggles to communicate are shown when she is seen using a notebook to introduce herself to fellow classmates. Shoya Ishida, a classmate of Shouko's begins to mock her for being deaf, seeing it as something alien or strange, damaging several of her hearing aids until she is no longer able to attend due to severe bullying. Since these scenes were so early on in the film, they really caught my attention and it allowed me to form opinions on who I believed the protagonist and antagonist to be. 

I felt copious amounts of empathy towards Shouko, it really demonstrated to me just how 'real' animated films can feel. A Silent Voice deals with many sensitive topics, such as depression and death, we can immerse ourselves in these situations and connect to the characters in a deeper way, almost as if we were there with them. By the end of this movie, I felt a sense of satisfaction, Shouko and Shoya had managed to form a strong relationship with one another through their intertwined struggles, Shoya learning to shrug off his guilt and finally start anew with Shouko. This movie shows a very different outlook on topics like bullying, showing how someone with a terrible past can learn and grow from their actions, rekindling relationships that were previously tarnished. Not only does A Silent Voice have enthralling story-telling, the stunning visuals really set this film into motion. 

 This shot here clearly emphasises the separation between the two characters, Shouko (placed right) looks like she is being held captive behind the climbing frame, a shot that can be perceived as innocent or unimportant at first glance, can actually be very effective within story-telling, as an audience we subconsciously see a divide between the two characters and can sense the tension in this scene. Furthermore, with this shot we are able to determine the dynamic between the two, Shouko feels threatened by Ueno (placed left), therefore becoming 'trapped' by the climbing frame as a way to present her intimidation.

A Silent Voice is a beautifully put together film, you're guaranteed to feel a plethora of emotions whilst watching, I'd definitely recommend this film as a starter to those who are interested in dabbling into the illustrated world of film. I personally enjoyed seeing such a realistic story within this film, whilst being able to touch on subjects that may seem taboo or hard to present in a respectable way, Shouko's journey is definitely one that you won't want to miss out on, it felt empowering to watch her overcome her struggles and create a friendship with Shoya.