Things that do not exist: the role of the wind in Under the shadow

Abstract

The main goal of this essay is to analyze the expressive uses of the sound of the wind in the Anglo-Jordanian-Qatar production Under the shadow (2016). In most films, the wind has a discreet presence, just to give the impression of verisimilitude and to reinforce the viewer’s sense of immersion in the diegesis. The studied film is an exception, in which the wind incorporates a supernatural character and leads the viewer, through sound design, to an experience of tension, discomfort and fear, also representing the political repression in the country. The film analysis will be preceded by a brief historical review of the role of the sound of the wind in feature films.