In A Whisper

Bluesky

Catarina Gonçalves takes an impressionistic approach to the hard graft that goes into sporting achievement in this short documentary, which took home the Grand Jury prize in its competition at Sheffield DocFest.

The documentarian follows teenage Belgian figure skater Nina Pinzarrone from practice through to performance in an observational style. Shot largely in black and white before transitioning to colour to show Pinzarrone in competition, Gonçalves employs up-close-and-personal photography – which she shot herself – which isn’t afraid to let her subject zip in and out of the frame. This approach allows us to appreciate the speed Pinzarrone is travelling at, while also tuning us into the effort exerted, as exemplified by the sound of her breath.

For all its elegant appearance on TV screens, Gonçalves shows that figure skating can be a painful business. We see Pinzarrone fall in practice along with her sobs at certain moments. The director builds tension through the edit – a job she also took on – as cuts, which occur with increasing regularity emphasise the repetitive nature of Pinzarrone’s routine as she strives to nail it. We are also invited to observe the skater’s focus during preparations with the distant noise of music and cheers drifting in from the rink.

Gonçalves’ film is one that lives in the moment, not providing any supporting information and while there is a purity to this an introductory intertitle would be useful. However, as a snapshot of energy, it is vibrantly alive.

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