The Song of Names


The Song of Names is a 2019 drama film directed by François Girard. An adaptation of the novel of the same name by Norman Lebrecht, it stars Tim Roth and Clive Owen as childhood friends from London whose lives have been changed by World War II. The film was nominated for nine Canadian Screen Awards, winning five.

Plot

Dovidl Rapoport, a 9-year-old from Poland and a prodigy at the violin is taken by his father to England in order to take violin lessons. The Simmonds family take him in in order to provide him with a home since his father must return to Warsaw. Their son Martin starts bonding with his new friend, whom he considers his brother, as he likes Dovidl playing the violin.
David continues practising the violin while still remembering his family. Years pass, and David and Martin are now 21 years old. There is just one day left for a concert featuring David, when he mysteriously disappears with his violin.
It is revealed that David has fallen asleep on a bus and visited a Polish Jewish community in Stoke Newington, asking them about whether his family is still alive. He is then taken to a synagogue, where a list of people with the surname Rapoport who died during the WW2 is announced. After finding out that none of his family has survived, David breaks down.
Years later, in about 1986, Martin is depicted at age 56 and married. He learns about a violinist, who he notices plays in the same pattern as his brother David, who disappeared about 35 years ago. Martin then sets off to Poland to find his brother.
After meeting David's former love, who says that David left on a plane probably to New York, Martin arrives in New York, where he finds David, married with children. Martin is furious with David and tries to persuade him to perform at a concert. David at first refuses but then accepts on two conditions, which as mentioned later by Martin are: not to reveal his program and not to be seen rehearshing.
Two months later, Martin and his wife attend the concert, where David first plays with an orchestra, and then has a solo performance, in which he plays the 'Song of Names', remembering his family. Martin then receives a letter from David stating the former must think of the latter as dead and they must never meet again. The film ends with Martin reading the Kaddish, having reluctantly accepted that David is now dead to him.

Cast

  • Tim Roth as Martin Simmonds
  • * Gerran Howell as Martin Simmonds aged 17–23
  • ** Misha Handley as Martin Simmonds aged 9–13
  • Clive Owen as Dovidl Rapoport
  • * Jonah Hauer-King as Dovidl Rapoport aged 17–21
  • ** Luke Doyle as Dovidl Rapoport aged 9–13
  • Stanley Townsend as Gilbert Simmonds
  • Catherine McCormack as Helen Simmonds
  • * Marina Hambro as young Helen
  • Magdalena Cielecka as Anna Wozniak
  • Saul Rubinek as Mr. Feinman
  • Eddie Izzard as BBC Radio Announcer
  • Jakum Kotynski as Zygmunt Rapoport
  • Tamás Puskás as Professor Carl Flesch

    Release

The film premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival.

Reception

The Song of Names received mixed to negative reviews., of the reviews compiled on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes are positive, with an average rating of. The website's critics consensus states, "The Song of Names is made from intriguing ingredients, but they never quite coalesce into a drama that satisfies the way it should."

Accolades

At the 8th Canadian Screen Awards The Song of Names tied with Antigone for most wins, with five.
AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipientResult
Canadian Screen Awards28 May 2020Best Art Direction / Production DesignFrançois Séguin and Pierre PerraultNomitated
Canadian Screen Awards28 May 2020Best Costume DesignAnne DixonNomitated
Canadian Screen Awards28 May 2020Best HairMichelle Coté, Péter Gyongyosi and Erzsébet RaczNomitated
Canadian Screen Awards28 May 2020Best MakeupFanny VachonWon
Canadian Screen Awards28 May 2020Best Original ScoreHoward ShoreWon
Canadian Screen Awards28 May 2020Best Original SongHoward Shore, "The Song of Names "Won
Canadian Screen Awards28 May 2020Best Overall SoundClaude La Haye, Bernard Gariépy Strobl, Mark Appleby and Daniel BissonWon
Canadian Screen Awards28 May 2020Best Sound EditingFrancine Poirier, Claude Beaugrand, Michel B. Bordeleau, Raymond Legault, Lise Wedlock and Natalie FleurantWon
Canadian Screen Awards28 May 2020Best Visual EffectsMarc-Antoine RousseauNomitated
Canadian Society of Cinematographers16 July 2020Best Theatrical Feature CinematographyDavid FrancoWon
Directors Guild of Canada27 October 2020Best Production Design – Feature FilmFrançois SéguinNomitated
Prix Iris10 June 2020Best SoundClaude Beaugrand, Michel B. Bordeleau, Bernard Gariépy Strobl, Claude La Haye, Raymond LegaultNomitated
Prix Iris10 June 2020Best Original MusicHoward ShoreNomitated
Prix Iris10 June 2020Best HairstylingMichelle CotéNomitated
Prix Iris10 June 2020Best Visual EffectsAlain Lachance, Jean-Pierre RiverinNomitated
Prix Iris3 June 2021Most Successful Film Outside QuebecWon