Who Will Sing to You
One more gem in the world of Spanish cinema.
By Viviana Benfenati.
Not everyone who wanders is lost, and not all who are lost want to be found.
Who Will Sing to You (Quién te cantará) is not only the newest, but certainly the most ambitious project in the career of Spanish director and screenwriter Carlos Vermut. The movie, released on September 8, 2018, lights the fire in the heart of every fan of Pedro Almodovar, as it pays a magnificent tribute to his unique style, all while depicting more than relatable characters in the gown of an exceptional story.
Starring Najwa Nimri, who beguiles the screen once again with her otherworldly talent (and voice); Eva Llorach, who delivers a riveting performance overflowed with emotion (all with a gorgeous Jamie Lee Curtis hairstyle); as well as Carme Elías and Natalia de Molina.
Seen from afar, the film comes across as the story about a pop star and the most loyal fan she will ever find. However, the ensemble between a witty script, insightful directing, lively performances—filled with realism and piercing passion—and illustrative metaphors, send the spectator through a steep roller coaster that reaches far beyond the movie, and makes us realize that learning to be oneself can be harder than we believe.
“Aren’t you afraid of being someone you’re not?” asks Violet (Eva Llorach) in a dimly illuminated room filled with old album records.
Lila Cassen (Najwa Nimri), a pop star—and Violet’s number one idol—has just completed a full decade away from the world of stardom and fame. As she lies down in bed and watches the broken acrylic nail on her ring finger, she realizes that her surroundings look nothing like her bedroom. Her longtime assistant, Blanca (Carme Elias), shows her a picture of a once renowned musician, a woman who had experienced the glow of life at its fullest, by the hand of music. Lila’s impaired memory drives her to think of this person as someone else. Such a simple, yet powerful action, is the beginning of a turmoil of symbolism explored by the movie, that ventures into the realms of identity, existence, and purpose of living.
In the middle of her identity crisis, Lila finds a video of Violet, her number one fan and best impersonator. As Violet neatly performs Lila’s songs on a grubby stage every night, she knows little about the uproarious tune that her new life holds for her. The nightly singer on that seedy bar is up for a mission as paramount as it is bizarre: teaching Lila Cassen how to become herself again.
The leading roles in this movie are far from being limited only to the actors. Three predominant colors in the scenery and lighting add up to the message behind the story. Blue, which represents the sky and the sea—both of which have a strong presence throughout the film—is associated with freedom, intuition and inspiration, key themes in the lives of both protagonists. Gold, which is the color for wealth, glamour and prosperity, as the symbolism for the atmosphere that surrounds Lila’s world and the essence of the character she created.
But the most symbolic color happens to be black, which needs to exist for other colors to shine; just like Violet, in her world of shadows, is to Lila.
However, the most interesting symbolism in the movie lies precisely at the heart of the ocean. The sea, present as the silent main character in the most iconic scenes, symbolizes the realms of the unfathomable; a place where it is easy for us to get lost when venturing through the journey of life and self-discovery.
Lila’s apartment seems to be located in the middle of nowhere, facing nothing but the sea ahead. A perfect analogy to her identity; a person who has lost her horizon and her path, whose compass never points north because the needle is halted in a past that no longer exists.
Identity is as vast and deep as the ocean, and this movie certainly explores the many faces we can place behind our meaning of self. How much of ourselves would we give up when choosing between a false perfection and a terrible reality? Some people have everything we can dream of and still live in an abyss of nothingness and apprehension. What is the purpose, then, of existing? What truly makes a life worth living?
The many questions explored by the story are among the reasons why this movie holds more than meets the eye. An ocean of emotions, profound symbolism, beautiful scenery, and spellbinding music.
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