Directed by Jon Cortegoso | Reviewed by
Samiksha Periwal
As Mother Teresa once very rightly said, “Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty”, a lonely man is a poor man because he has to deal with the adversities of life all by himself.
Miguel, the protagonist in the film ‘Solo’ which literally
means alone, is a man who has entered old-age, living all by
himself in an empty house with his only companion, his old
and habitual radio. It is sitting comfortably in the living
room of his house and is something 
that
keeps him going and never fails his expectations by keeping
silent in an already quiet house. However, one fine day,
Miguel’s radio is not enough to satisfy his need for
interaction and human affection. He starts missing his
family, children, grandchildren and tries to contact them.
Unfortunately, they don’t seem to bother too much about him
and a twist of events adding on to his feelings lead to him
reach the limit of his tolerance. It is interesting to see
how things unfold from here and how important his own
guardian angel becomes for his life. This film is inspired
by true life events and hence is very authentic,
to-the-point in its approach.
One of the major themes covered in the film is the idea of leading a lonely life in old-age. This is because, the culture of most places across the world has changed in terms of family structure and individuals no longer feel the need to keep a check on their aging parents. Busy leading mechanical lives, nine to five jobs and handling issues concerning their immediate nuclear family. It is surprising that the current generation which is supposed to be so-called ‘modern’ and ‘progressive’ is ignorant towards the responsibility of taking care of their parents, letting them live a lonely miserable life all by themselves in the confined spaces of the four walls of their humble home. Miguel, the protagonist is seen in the same condition where the only human interaction that experiences is in the form of messages sent out in the radio. The story presses on the difficulties faced by such individuals who are fighting each day to survive in the world all alone.
Another
message which the director tries to convey through this film
is the importance of the emergency workers, including
fire-fighters, ambulance services, rescue operation teams
and so on. The ones who work tirelessly day and night to
help people in distress across the globe, acting as saviors!
Heroes in disguise that are not even acknowledged by the
society. The pandemic itself has given us such a wide
perspective to look at things and reflect upon. The work
that these people have been doing for the well-being of
society and the amount of sacrifice they do each day to save
every precious life is praiseworthy. The unsung heroes have
been wonderfully acknowledged and appreciated through this
film, making the audience realize how a seemingly
insignificant job for people especially belonging to a
privileged and highly educated class might actually turn out
to save their lives and facilitate the functioning of
society so well. One cannot imagine a society without these
workers who toil for years going unnoticed by the people for
whom they are actually working.
The
director of this film has also recorded, written and edited
the documentary. He has worked really hard to put across the
message of this film and reach out to the soul of the
protagonist in his well thought out and executed work. This
2021 Spanish short film has definitely achieved its purpose
of putting across an important idea of loneliness and
isolation. It is relatable especially in the present
situation as many people have detached themselves socially
confining themselves to a closed room. This has an impact on
one’s mental as well as physical health majorly. At the end
of this film, you might even find yourself reaching out for
your phone and calling your parents to check on them! Perks
to the director for creating this beautifully crafted piece
of work which is an add on to every film-enthusiast’s
watchlist.
Samiksha
Periwal is an 18 year old student from Kolkata,
West Bengal. She is an enthusiast, eager to learn and
explore. She has done her schooling from Lakshmipat
Singhania Academy, Kolkata and is currently a student of
Christ University, Bangalore pursuing a triple major in BA
Psychology, Sociology and English. She is a passionate
writer and has won many laurels for her school through the
years.
