Both, Instrument & Sound employs tension as an aesthetic strategy, to explore solidarity, collective struggle, and the transformation of these values under neoliberalism. The film follows the life of Tony over 3 years as he describes his process of political activism from the 1970s onwards, which cannot be disentangled from his friendships and his lovers. The film’s score – co-written with musicians, the film’s cast and crew – sonically explores different interpretations of tension—both in response to Tony’s narration and to the musicians’ existing approaches to tension as a musical, cinematic, scientific, and political experience. Everyone translates, performs and remixes it using instruments of their choice. In the face of a growing politics and language of individualism Both, Instrument & Sound questions how our discourses and practices of solidarity have changed since the rise of neoliberalism. Through hand-processed 16mm film, poetry and collective listening practices, the collision of flesh and friendship, sonic and visual tension and the complications of solidarity are explored.
