“A very simple film about enormously challenging ideas.”

They say home is where the heart is, but the process of returning to your roots is not always a pleasant experience, and can often yield results that remind one of why they left in the first place. The protagonist at the heart of Sandra Romero’s As Silence Passes By is very much aware of this when he returns to his home in a rural part of his native Spain; he is immediately confronted with the ghosts of the past, particularly through his contentious relationship with his family, most of whom have lingered behind and made their lives in this small hometown while he searched for prosperity elsewhere. Making her directorial debut, Romero assembles an impressive story that gives us insights into the trials and tribulations of an ordinary family, as seen through the perspective of the prodigal son who knows his return will stir emotions for everyone involved but nonetheless finds himself navigating the challenges that come with revisiting the past, both physically and psychologically. Driven by exceptional performances and defined by its subtle aesthetic that matches the quiet complexity of the narrative, the film comes together to form an intricate and poignant exploration of family and the wounds that can sometimes be re-opened with something as simple as a momentary voyage into the past.

Homecoming is a complex theme, and one that has been actively examined by many artists over the course of literary history. The place where someone grows up is not necessarily where they spend the rest of their lives, and the act of making a return, especially after some time, can be an extraordinarily emotional one. Romero uses this as the impetus for As Silence Passes By, which is a very simple film about enormously challenging ideas.  Antonio is a man who believed he was better than the pastoral town of Ecija and thought his destiny resided in the big cities that he dreamed of conquering in his youth. Now that he has returned, even just for Easter, he discovers that not only was he partly wrong, but a rift has formed between him and the rest of his family, only slightly concealed by layers of domestic pleasantries before they start to emerge in their truest form. Romero introduces these ideas mainly through the motif of Antonio’s twin brother, someone who may look similar to him, but holds very different views and has followed an entirely separate path, leading to their relationship deviating from the closeness they experienced in their childhood. From these simple but effective keynotes the director crafts a thoughtful but provocative glimpse into an unconventional family dynamic, doing so without any sense of forceful commentary and instead allowing the fundamental themes of this story to flourish organically.  

However, there is more to As Silence Passes By than initially meets the eye, since the further we venture into the familial dynamic that anchors the film, the more we learn about the two central characters, Antonio and Javier, with much of the story centering on the similarities and differences between these brothers. Antonio is the focus, and his initial efforts to leave his hometown and then make his eventual return provide the central tension of the film, particularly in how they inform the underlying theme of identity. He has not quite figured out his identity just yet – he knows he exists within the queer community, but isn’t entirely sure where on the spectrum he falls, and his conservative upbringing isn’t helping the effort to figure it out. Romero introduces several fascinating ideas throughout the film and weaves them together to make the story essentially one about retreat – Antonio and Javier are two young men who wish to escape their hometown, both because of its physical remoteness and because of what it represents (they soon realize that it is themselves, rather than those around them, that they intended to escape). The fact that they each processed this desire differently is what ultimately forced them apart, leading to a divide that they’re seemingly unable to mend. Romero’s work in As Silence Passes By represents the emergence of an exciting cinematic voice, with her control of her craft being evident right from the start, and her ability to capture every nuance of the human condition without resorting to the worn-out techniques usually associated with this specific category of social realism.  It is a character study based on exploring the complicated ways we handle the past, especially when it is directly related to those closest to us.  The performances from real-life brothers Antonio Araque and Javier Araque are dynamic and captivating and add so much nuance to a film that hinges on their strong work to convince us of the authenticity of the story and the many layers of commentary embedded within, and which the director utilizes exceptionally well as she sets forward to examine these sometimes harrowing themes in a manner that is genuine and meaningful. Simple in style but filled with multifaceted ideas that draw the viewer in and position us as voyeurs into the daily life of a family, As Silence Passes By is an exceptional film and one of the best debuts of the year.