Wikipedia

A Still Small Voice

A Still Small Voice is a 2023 American documentary film directed by Luke Lorentzen. Produced by Hedgehog Films, the documentary follows Mati, a chaplain completing a year-long residency at New York City's Mount Sinai Hospital, as she learns to provide spiritual care to people confronting profound life changes. It had its world premiere on January 21, 2023, at 2023 Sundance Film Festival, where it won directing award for Luke Lorentzen.[1]

A Still Small Voice
Official poster
Directed byLuke Lorentzen
Produced by
  • Kellen Quinn
  • Ashleigh McArthur
  • Luke Lorentzen
StarringMargaret 'Mati' Engel
CinematographyLuke Lorentzen
Edited byLuke Lorentzen
Music by
  • Niki Hexum
  • Zack Hexum
Production
companies
  • Hedgehog Films, Inc.
  • Spark Features
  • Jewish Story Partners
  • Catapult Film Fund
Distributed byAbramorama
Release date
  • January 21, 2023 (2023-01-21) (Sundance)
Running time
93 minutes
Country
  • United States
LanguageEnglish

The film featured in the list of Top 5 Documentaries of 2023 of National Board of Review[2] and was also shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.[3][4]

Background

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In 2019, Luke Lorentzen's sister Claire was working as a hospital chaplain, that's how he got to know about work of hospital chaplains. In his own words, "The work of a chaplain is multifaceted but often circles back to attentiveness." He added, "It’s about giving loving attention in a space where things are moving so quickly and chaotically, [albeit] the attention seeming simple, is overwhelmingly powerful and meaningful."[5]

Margaret Mati Engel initially was not eager to be a part of a documentary, but Luke Lorentzen talked with her for months before trust was built. They went through different experiences to arrive at a process that felt collaborative, supportive, and deeply in touch with the principles of chaplaincy. Lorentzen, himself said, "I think the film started to really deepen and become the best version of itself once I had learned enough about chaplaincy to sort of carry those principles with me into the room with Mati."[6]

Content

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Buildings of Mount Sinai seen from Central Park

In this documentary, Luke Lorentzen immerses himself in Mount Sinai Hospital (Manhattan), an American hospital, and records the quiet but powerful emotions and close and personal interactions of the subjects. The film features Mati, a chaplain finishing her one-year hospital training with the guidance of her mentor. They face the challenging task of offering spiritual support to patients and families who are in distress or mourning, especially during a pandemic. The film also shows us that the helpers also need help sometimes.

Release

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The film had its world premiere on January 21, 2023, at 2023 Sundance Film Festival in U.S. Documentary Competition. It also competed at the 47th Hong Kong International Film Festival in 'Documentary Competition' and was screened on April 7, 2023.[7]

It was screened at the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival at Mammoth Lakes, California on May 26, 2023, for West Coast Premiere,[8] and on August 6, 2023, at the Melbourne International Film Festival for the Australian Premiere.[9]

On September 28, Abramorama, a theatrical distributor, acquired the North American theatrical rights of the film.[10]

Reception

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On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes website, the film has an approval rating of 92% based on 26 reviews with an average rating of 7.9/10.[11] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 80 out of 100 based on 8 reviews, indicating "Universal Acclaim".[12]

The New York Times honored the film by assigning it with the prestigious 'Critic's Pick' and reviewing it Amy Nicholson quoted a scene from the film, in which the main participant (Mati) baptizes an infant who died at birth. Nicholson wrote, "The holy water is in a Styrofoam cup, as somewhere, a door slams." She added "It’s human and messy — and it’s divine."[13] Sheri Linden of Hollywood Reporter described the fim as "Tough, penetrating and deeply moving".[14] David Ehrlich of IndieWire graded it B and wrote, "A raw and lucid observational documentary about people whose life’s work is making space for death."[15]

Accolades

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Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Sundance Film Festival January 27, 2023 U.S. Documentary Competition: Directing Luke Lorentzen Won [16]
Mammoth Lakes Film Festival May 29, 2023 Jury Award for Best US Documentary Feature A Still Small Voice Won [17]
National Board of Review 6 December 2023 Top 5 Documentaries Won[a] [2]

Listicle

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Publisher Year Listicle Placement Ref.
17th Cinema Eye Honors 2023 The Unforgettables Included [18]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ This award does not have a single winner, but recognizes 5 top documentaries in alphabetical order.

References

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  1. ^ Patten, Dominic; D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 7, 2022). "Sundance Film Festival Lineup Set With Ukraine War, Little Richard, Michael J. Fox, Judy Blume Docs; Pics With Anne Hathaway, Emilia Clarke, Jonathan Majors, More". Deadline. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Lewis, Hilary (December 6, 2023). "National Board of Review Names 'Killers of the Flower Moon' Best Film of 2023". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  3. ^ "96th Oscars Shortlists Announced for 10 Categories". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. December 21, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  4. ^ Davis, Clayton (December 21, 2023). "Oscar Shortlists Announced for 10 Categories: 'Barbie' Leads the Way". Variety. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  5. ^ Carey, Matthew (January 20, 2023). "Sundance First Look: Director Luke Lorentzen Returns To Sundance With Poignant Documentary 'A Still Small Voice'". Deadline. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  6. ^ Carey, Matthew (December 15, 2023). "In Oscar Contender 'A Still Small Voice,' Filmmakers Shatter "Preconceived Ideas Of What A Hospital Chaplain Does"". Deadline. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  7. ^ "A Still Small Voice". Hong Kong International Film Festiva. April 7, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  8. ^ "MLFF 2023 Features". Mammoth Lakes Film Festival. May 26, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  9. ^ "A Still Small Voice". Melbourne International Film Festival. August 6, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  10. ^ Addie Morfoot (September 28, 2023). "Sundance Doc 'A Still Small Voice' Sells to Abramorama (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  11. ^ "A Still Small Voice (2023, Documentary)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  12. ^ "A Still Small Voice". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  13. ^ Nicholson, Amy (November 9, 2023). "'A Still Small Voice' Review: Grant Them the Serenity". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  14. ^ Sheri Linden (January 21, 2023). "'A Still Small Voice' Review: Compelling Profiles in the Spiritual Nitty-Gritty of Illness and Grief". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  15. ^ Ehrlich, David (November 8, 2023). "'A Still Small Voice' Review: A Powerful Documentary About the Price Chaplains Pay to Help People Die in Peace". IndieWire. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  16. ^ Donnelly, Matt; Debruge, Peter (January 27, 2023). "Sundance Winners: 'A Thousand and One' Takes U.S. Dramatic Jury Prize (Complete List)". Variety. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  17. ^ Sippell, Margeaux (May 29, 2023). "Mammoth Lakes Film Festival 2023 Winners Include Unicorn Boy and A Still Small Voice". MovieMaker. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  18. ^ Carey, Matthew (October 19, 2023). "'The 1619 Project,' 'Nothing Lasts Forever' Lead Charge As Cinema Eye Honors Announces First Round Of Documentary Nominations [Full List]". Deadline. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
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