A musician who plays just one note in an orchestra falls for the violinist. | The One Note Man

» Subscribe for the world’s best short films: » Get some merch: The One Note Man is used with permission from George Siougas. Learn more at OMELETO ON SOCIAL Instagram: Twitter: Facebook: A musician lives a carefully prescribed life with a rigid routine, which includes waking up, having a meal, eating one treat of candy and then heading to his performance on his bike, where he plays one note on his instrument in an orchestra. Immediately after playing his one note, he bikes home, where he goes to bed, only to wake up the next morning and do it all again. But during one performance, a part of his instrument gets caught on his clothes, delaying his exit by a few moments. Those few moments allow him to catch sight of a violinist during her solo, and the music -- and the musician’s beauty -- stir him emotionally. The next day, he attempts to catch the violinist’s attention with his one note in whatever way he can, much to his serious conductor’s chagrin. Directed and written by George Siougas, this charming, whimsical comedy chronicles the journey of a man going through the motions of existence but slowly waking up to life. As full of delights as the calendar of candies that the musician pulls from every day, the Oscar-eligible film combines wonderful music, gentle yet striking visuals, playful comedy and heartfelt emotion for a deeply satisfying watch. There is little dialogue, except for a stately opening and closing narration done by Oscar-winning actor Ian McKellan. But the narrative is nevertheless beautifully constructed, with jaunty editing establishing the rigidity of the musician’s life and deftly controlling the pace to build up and then subvert his routine. Rendered with a gentle, careworn visual stylization that will intrigue Wes Anderson fans, we get the sense of days slipping by in a blur of monotony -- until a mishap disrupts it, and opens the musician’s eyes to a talented, lovely violinist that pulls him out of his fog. The comedy truly comes alive when the musician grapples with the change to his routine, opening his eyes to the beauty of the world around him and awakening a need to catch a lady’s eye. Actor Jason Watkins offers a rich performance with no dialogue, one that hits a plaintive, quirky register, as well as great moments of physical comedy, especially when incurring the consternation of the conductor, played with fiercely funny elegance by Crystal Yu. But it’s when the musician finally takes a big risk that “The One Note Man“ achieves the peak and transcendence promised by the film’s superb musical score, composed by Stephen Warbeck. The ending is truly crowd-pleasing and rousing on many levels. And it’s well-earned, leaving an impression of lovely, almost old-fashioned charm and a desire to open your eyes to the richness of your own life -- and see what beauty you’ve been overlooking. ABOUT OMELETO Omeleto is the home of the world’s best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: A musician who plays just one note in an orchestra falls for the violinist. | The One Note Man Omeleto @Omeleto 🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at