The Reach Of Resonance

Directed by Steve Elkins

USA, Slovak Republic, Palestine, France, Czech Republic, Canada, Australia/ 2011/ 116 min

Filmed in ten countries, “The Reach Of Resonance” is a meditation on the meaning of music, which juxtaposes the creative paths of four musicians who use music to cultivate a deeper understanding of the world around them. Among them are Miya Masaoka using music to interact with insects and plants; Jon Rose, utilizing a violin bow to turn fences into musical instruments in conflict zones ranging from the Australian outback to Palestine; John Luther Adams translating the geophysical phenomena of Alaska into music; and Bob Ostertag, who explores global socio- political issues through processes as diverse as transcribing a riot into a string quartet, and creating live cinema with garbage.

By contrasting the creative paths of these artists, and an unexpected connection between them by the world renowned Kronos Quartet, the film explores music not as a form of entertainment, career, or even self-expression, but as a tool to develop more deeply meaningful relationships with people and the complexities of the world they live in.

International Du Film Sur L’Art

Karlovy Vary IFF

Temps D’Images Festival

Beirut International Documentary Festival

Oxdox IFF

Temps D’Images Film Award

Best Film Essay – International Du Film Sur L’Art

“Coming soon to an intelligent theater near you.” -Alex Ross, The New Yorker

“Groundbreaking. A must see.” -Tim Heidecker, On Cinema

“Mind-bending investigations into the outer reaches of musical inspiration.” –

Matthew Duerston, Stompbeast

“Entertaining and thought-provoking.” -WIRE (UK)

“This film will go straight into the canon of important works concerning art and its relationship to human existence.” -Post Planetary

“Have you ever heard Earth’s magnetic field as melody or listened to a plant as part of a musical ensemble? What would an urban riot sound like if transcribed for string quartet? Can a piece of music be defined by geographic rather than chronologic length? Through its examination of the role of environment in the creation of music, and the deeper exploration of theenvironments created by these sounds, the film achieves its goal of finding meaning in music beyond mere aesthetic pleasure.” -Science Magazine