As Cianna (Liana Zaino) prepares for a high-pressure audition, she is forced to face the trauma of her past. As she attempts to mentally prepare for what is potentially the biggest night of her life, she deals with her aggressive psychosis and the reality that she may not be good enough. CiCi’s Sonata explores the impact that years of trauma can have on a person at the most inopportune times.
I am broken, and yet they applaud. As I sit before them, slowly falling to pieces, incapable of controlling my own emotions, incapable of finding my way, the world around me looks at me with adoration.
I got all of this from the final look that Cianna gives her audience just before Cici’s Sonata fades to black. Just before the film comes to an end we get to see her in all of her glory, and a simple look, one that doesn’t change for an extended period of time, expresses these sentiments and more to viewers. It certainly doesn’t take the duration of CiCi’s Sonata to develop emotion, but in the final moments it peaks. Viewers are pulled in close, forced to face the music with the titular character, and her trauma quickly becomes our own, as we, too, must face our demons.
Writer-Director Brandon T. Bailey uses light to guide his film. In the early going there are abrupt changes made in regard to the light. Viewers see a quick shift in the lighting that helps to reflect what it is that Cianna is experiencing at any given moment. She’s often surrounded by darkness in CiCi’s Sonata, and she’s often faced with the struggles of her past. Quickly, however, as she makes her way to the stage to perform in front of an audience, blinding light takes over. She then exists in a place that is almost euphoric, as possibly the one thing that allows her to remain somewhat whole, her music, sits just before her in this moment. Then, again, CiCi’s Sonata slowly fades to black at its conclusion–and at this point those aforementioned feelings of not being good enough consume both her and the audience. As she fades away into nothingness, viewers know exactly how she’s feeling–and they feel right along with her.
From the use of light to other things like the jumpy cinematography and Zaino’s bloodshot eyes–everything works throughout the course of CiCi’s Sonata to develop emotion. Bailey creates something brilliant that transcends audiences from all walks of life, and CiCi’s Sonata is just about guaranteed to find its way into the hearts of viewers as a result.
Directed by Brandon T. Bailey.
Written by Brandon T. Bailey & Liana Zaino.
Starring Tatienne Hendricks-Tellefsen, Liana Zaino, Shayna Safirstein, Tiffany Huang, Noah Slon, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
