REVIEW: ‘Echoes of the Invisible’
Photo: Echoes of the Invisible documents individuals and communities attempting to be free of the noise of 2020 life. Photo courtesy of Obscured Pictures / Provided by press rep with permission.
Echoes of the Invisible is an unusually transfixing movie about individuals who have accomplished (or are in the midst of accomplishing) seemingly Herculean tasks. Within their pursuits, viewers will be able to find peace, community and perhaps a path forward during uncertain times. It’s a stirring documentary whose release at SXSW earlier this year was derailed by the coronavirus pandemic (perhaps the ultimate of ironies), but it hopes to be resurrected soon.
Steve Elkins directs the 106-minute documentary, which follows several outstanding and interesting people: a blind man who run an ungodly number of miles in the heat of Death Valley, a journalist who — no joke — is walking essentially around the world and a photographer who finds inspiration in the oldest living organisms on planet Earth.
There may not be much of an obvious narrative thread amongst these three stories — plus the other voices in this documentary — but if one settles down, considers the arcs of the tales and applies a slightly different lens, their commonality becomes apparent. These are individuals searching for richer lives far outside the temporary satisfaction of money and prestige. They are yearning for an elemental awareness that seems almost timeless, as if they are searching for answers to questions unknown — yet also questions considered for eons.
The drama of Paul Salopek’s journey is a particular doozy. As a journalist and storyteller, he wanders the world looking for ancient routes and traditional ways, all the while coming into contact with a host of communities and neighborhoods in a variety of cultures. He has walked many miles, and in the film, he gears up for the ultimate of walks: mimicking the physical trek of humans out of Africa. He starts the journey in Ethiopia, and when he finishes his 21,000-mile trek (not a typo), he will have made it through the Middle East, Asia, North America and reached the southern tip of South America. Maybe he’ll tack on an Australian roundabout for an expeditionary dessert.
Rachel Sussman’s photography is beautiful and so interesting to ponder. She finds unique perspectives to capture stunning natural landscapes and living objects that are older than the ancient journey Salopek is following. Similarly, Al Arnold’s trek through the hottest place on Earth — a trek that serves as a personal goal and means of quiet reflection — is inspiring in its beauty and awe-inspiring in its intensity and fortitude.
Perhaps the world is being asked to consider the themes of Echoes of the Invisible even more strongly during these quarantine days. At its heart, these communities and amazing individuals are escaping the trappings of the hyper-fast, hyper-mobilized, hyper-technological world of the 21st century. They don’t offer a denouncement of the current times, but they are searching for something deeper and perhaps older. Most people today, while wiling away the time at home and taking long walks with tired pets, are perhaps asking similar questions and making similar deductions.
Echoes of the Invisible may have been delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic, but it could not be more timely.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Echoes of the Invisible (2020). Directed by Steve Elkins. Featuring Al Arnold, Rachel Sussman and Paul Salopek. Running time: 106 minutes. Rating: 
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