Rice fields scream “China” to most people. However, rice growing is an integral part of the economy of few south European countries like Italy and Spain, and it is in the latter that the lush area of the river Ebro's delta is enveloped by more than 20,000 hectares of rice fields, making it a renown producer of excellent rice, one of the best in the country. Catalan director Adrià Guxens' deep understanding and love for the culture, the aesthetic and the people of China is back after his pre-pandemic short documentary “I Don't Think It Is Going To Rain”, delving once again into cross generational conflicts and destinies, with an added, very contemporary element of migration and distance.
“A Distant Noise” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
“A Distant Noise” pitches Jun (Junyi Sun), a young Catalan man of Chinese origin temporary working for the planting of rice, against the Ebro's delta background, inhabited by the local families that have been managing the land for generations. Jun has been settling in Spain for a long time, part of his family is there, but his mum and grandmother are still in China. His lovable, almost shy character, make him very well adjusted within the warm and friendly family he works for. Summer days go by, punctuated by the century-old gestures and stages of the planting routine, lightened by a joke around a beer, a lunch with the family or a warm night out.
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However, behind Jun's smile, a sort of “saudade” is troubling him; a state of melancholic yearning, a deep sense of nostalgic longing for something or someone missing. Observing the strong bond that keep together the family of rice farmers, the food, the laughs, the matriarchal grandmother, has brought to the surface the distant memories of his own roots, his own grandmother, his own family of rice farmers. Jun's restless mood and days are given rhythm by a distant noise in the background, his mother calling regularly from China, telling him that the grandmother he saw only once is now 92 and frail. The only way Jun has to cure his confusion and nurture his loneliness is dancing alone.
“A Distant Noise” rises relevant questions about roots, belonging and identity, questions that in a world that is increasingly complex and fast moving, are becoming more pertinent and urgent than ever and that go beyond demographic and economic. In fact, migration can indeed lead to a loss of the sense of belonging, especially when the move involves crossing cultural, social, or geographic boundaries, and can cause individuals to question their identity. Jun perfectly embodies the struggle of balancing the origins with the living environment, leading to a sense of not fully belonging to either culture. The rice fields, the rice (paella) on the dining table, Jun's choreography that takes moves from martial arts and the passion and emotions from traditional Spanish dance, are all symbols of a merging space, a blurring identity between Spain and China.
Director and writer Guxens utilizes a hybrid format, mixing documentary and fiction, and plants Jun in a real contest of real farmers of the area. This method assists in creating a real sense of involvement in the narration and a high level of empathy for the main character. The orchestral original score by Wai-Yi Wong highlights the moments when Jun is alone and immersed in his thoughts, far from the noises of tractors and farmers, and it climaxes in a compelling ending sequence.
Jun, like more and more people, is destined to live with that distant noise in his ears, a bothersome glitch, a constant reminder of the elusive concept of “home”. The exciting news for us and for Jun is that director Guxens is now working on his first feature film, which will be a sequel of this short, featuring Jun going to China to meet his family. It will be a welcome step forward for a director of proven sensibility and talent.
