The Strange Sound of Happiness

original version Italian, English, Sakha, Russian with English subtitles or German voice over and subtitles available
Location: Sibirien, Sizilien, Schweiz, Ungarn, Bayern

Synopsis

After years drifting, Diego returns to Sicily. His dream of becoming a musician has not worked out. He has no job and no plans for the future but the sound of an ancient musical instrument, the mouth harp, points the way. From the torrid coasts of Sicily, Diego journeys to the frozen flatlands of Yakutia in Siberia where he becomes part of a prophecy from a century ago. The ‘sound of happiness’ is at last there.
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After twenty years, the failed musician Diego returns to his Sicilian hometown of Augusta with no money, job or perspectives. In a dream he has a vision of a Jew’s harp, called Marranzano in Italian. The half vibrant, half buzzing sound of this small musical instrument echoes in the chant of the omnipresent cicadas – and in the sound of an electric shaver. After some initial research at the local souvenir shop, Diego soon finds himself in freezing Yakutia, where the Jew’s harp is called Khomus and considered a lucky charm. In Siberia Diego also meets the most famous Khomus player in the world, a generally respected blacksmith with a striking resemblance to the master from “The Karate Kid”, and learns about the rich mythology of the instrument. People say, for example, that one of the best Marranzani flew into space one night to be played by a Russian cosmonaut. Diego’s research on the universal history of the Jew’s harp merges with the story of his personal pursuit of happiness, while his journey is driven in equal measure by self-questioning, ethnographical interest and associative enthusiasm. (DOK Leipzig, Esther Buss)

Festivals/Awards

DOK Leipzig – Honorable Mention Next Masters Competition 2017
25th hotDOCS Toronto 2018
20th International Tel Aviv Documentary Filmfestival - doc aviv
35th Kassel DokFest

The Strange Sound of Happiness

The Strange Sound of Happiness

The Strange Sound of Happiness