Resonance (Official Trailer)

On Monday Nov. 8, we’ll see the premiere of the music film Resonance, which is co-directed and co-produced by multifaceted Finnish filmmaker and musician Ville Tanttu and Australian musician Nathan Riki Thomson. This documentary film reflects on the theme of ‘resonance’, viewed both as a physical phenomenon and an approach to thinking about the ways in which we connect with others and the world around us.

Resonance was filmed in the Finnish archipelago during the endless light of July, which symbolises a sense of timelessness during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The film is centered around a verbal and musical dialogue between two musicians, Adriano Adewale from Brazil and Nathan Riki Thomson from Australia. Musical improvisations interact in real time with the sonic landscape of nature, intertwined with excerpts of live concerts involving other musicians and dancers from different backgrounds and cultures.The deep feeling of presence in these encounters is conveyed through the camera, reminding us of the fundamental significance of music and its power to facilitate conversations and connections across borders.

A comment from the filmmakers:

“Video, music and spoken dialogue are interwoven in the Resonance documentary film, which reflects on the underlying themes of intercultural dialogue, collaboration, identity, ecology and resonance. The main content of the film took place during an all-night filming and recording session outside, on an island off the coast of Finland. The footage was captured during the longest day of the year, at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, in July 2020. The month of July is a time when daylight slowly shifts, changes, and never quite disappears in Finland, creating the sensation of endless light and a feeling of timelessness. The film is centred around a conversation between Brazilian musician Adriano Adewale and Australian musician Nathan Riki Thomson, interspersed with improvisations that took place on location in nature, as well as excerpts of footage from live concerts.”
Directed and co-produced: Ville Tanttu and Nathan Riki Thomson
Cinematography and editing: Ville Tanttu
Music: Nathan Riki Thomson and Adriano Adewale
Recorded and mixed: Mikko Haapoja

Featured Performers:

Adriano Adewale: berimbau, percussion, vocals
Amandine Doat: dance
Hildá Länsman: joik, vocals
Otso Lähdeoja: live electronics
Fornier Ortiz: dance
Petra Poutanen: vocals
Njara Rasolo: dance
Nathan Riki Thomson: double bass, prepared double bass, Wagogo ilimba, Wagogo overtone flute, Maori koauau flutes, vocals
Elina Valtonen: dance