THE STORY – Musicians gather at the legendary Abbey Road Studios to record HELP(2), a star-studded charity album supporting War Child Records’ mission to aid children impacted by conflict around the globe.
THE CAST – Damon Albarn, Arctic Monkeys & Jarvis Cocker
THE TEAM – Jonathan Glazer (Director)
THE RUNNING TIME – 38 Minutes
One might have imagined that the ever-so-reclusive Jonathan Glazer would have taken another extended break from directing after his staggering, Oscar-winning masterpiece, “The Zone of Interest.” Instead, just over 3 years later, he has returned with his latest film, “Joy of Joys.” Some may look at its runtime and consider this film a slight in his oeuvre; it’s absolutely critical to shut down that line of thinking immediately. What Glazer is able to do with this documentary in 38 minutes is powerfully resonant and essential viewing. With “Joy of Joys,” Glazer and his band of children camera operators capture a fundamental essence of humanity. This short documentary captures children’s potent curiosity and playfulness, framing their unshakable nature against a devastatingly tragic context. It’s a vital piece of cinema that acts as both a mirror and a spotlight for the current moment.
“Joy of Joys” has two distinct halves. It’s split not by literal structure, but by content. One half of the film is primarily captured within the halls and rooms of the legendary Abbey Road Studios. The film was initially conceived to document the recording sessions for HELP(2), a compilation charity album from War Child Records. This access to footage, though limited to scattered moments rather than full studio sessions, will be a treasure trove for fans of all genres. The likes of Cameron Winter, Jarvis Cocker, Fontaines D.C., The Last Dinner Party, Beabadoobee, and many others are all present. Each artist shows raw talent that reminds the viewer why they’ve become stars, or have remained stars, in their own right. It’s also delightful to see the varied ways they interact with the children constantly moving around them. It makes for quite the entertaining romp. But perhaps nothing in the musical portion of the film is more satisfying than the introductory notes. Although brief, Olivia Rodrigo’s moments of using her angelic voice to convey the healing notion and intertwined relationship between love and art are strikingly simple. It’s a particularly enriching moment of “Joy of Joys:” seeing one of the most famous (and young) musicians on the planet lend her talents to a cause that is both worthy and vital. And she is the perfect introduction to Glazer’s spry take on the traditional music documentary. With a sweet smile dished out between vocal takes, directed at the various London schoolchildren quietly circling her with cameras in hand, she embodies the audience’s emotions as a reflection of sorts.
During a Q&A at the 64th New York Film Festival world premiere, Glazer and frequent collaborator Mica Levi noted that the idea of giving children cameras came about through a text miscommunication. What a wondrous blessing that turned out to be for this film. It’s difficult to imagine anybody in the audience who wouldn’t be immensely charmed by these children. They are documenting history, yet that seemingly comes secondary in their minds to the infinite potential a camera holds. But these are not the only cameras in this film. Glazer once again employs his static-camera approach from “The Zone of Interest” for surveillance-style footage of these artists. By removing himself from their process, he creates an even stronger sense of freedom. His familiar style still shows in the rigid nature of these shots; they are strikingly objective, and his cameras are meant solely to capture whatever is happening as plainly as possible. So adding children with cameras to the mix does two things at once. First, it creates a really funny juxtaposition in style and tone for the film to cut to at any moment. Second, it perfectly literalizes the essential idea Glazer is trying to convey with “Joy of Joys.”
Unlike Glazer’s fixed cameras, the children seem to have complete access to traverse Abbey Road Studios. Their filmmaking adventures reflect a refusal to be static. An innate freedom, coupled with the handheld nature of their cameras, emerges. This unlocks an avenue for all the children in this film to let their imaginative minds run wild and operate without restriction. To see them chasing the shot, turning the lens towards whatever is most interesting to them, even if it’s occasionally their own silly faces or actions, is an absolute delight. They are ravenous for discovery and the opportunity to experience the world as best they can. So when given a blank canvas and a set of tools to capture whatever image comes to mind, they set off and do their best. It’s what makes the other half of “Joy of Joys” such a heartbreaking yet striking achievement.
A child in Abbey Road Studios waves at their own reflection, and for the first time in the film, Glazer pulls his audience out of the pristine studio space and into something more reflective of reality: a decimated neighborhood in Gaza. The stark jump across an entire continent jolts the audience, and with each new war-torn location Glazer reveals another youthful camera crew, the film’s scope only grows. But what’s most shocking about this footage in “Joy of Joys” is also what makes it so distinct and deeply special. The very fact that this film exists in its current state is heartbreaking. Yet the purity of its message allows “Joy of Joys” to expand beyond a devastating wake-up call to the rest of the world. It suggests that children’s spirits may be indomitable. The film captures children at play in Yemen, Sudan, Gaza, and Ukraine. In each instance, an infectious amusement becomes tear-inducing. It seems like an impossible level of bravery. In a world so plagued by evil and corruption at the highest levels of power, it feels impossible to imagine such simple beauty existing amidst such pain. And yet, Glazer put together footage to remind his audience that, around the world, an active force cannot be shattered by the greatest evils, no matter how hard they try.
Glazer described looking through the returned footage captured by the children as being “beautiful and tragic to see.” It’s a simple statement that acknowledges the contrasts in this film and in life, along with the emotions it evokes in the audience. While “Joy of Joys” shares several similarities with key characteristics of Glazer’s filmmaking style, it’s unlike anything he has ever directed. This is largely because of how much hope it feels tinged with. Through this short documentary, Glazer provided groups of children the opportunity to do whatever their hearts and minds desired and funnel it into an art form. How beautiful is it to see that all they wanted to do was capture what having fun looks like amidst so much chaos and pain? Denying the anguish existing on the periphery of this film is not Glazer’s intent with “Joy of Joys.” It’s merely a reminder of the most essential thing the world should be fighting for. That so many even need the reminder feels like a revolting spotlight on humanity’s failures. And this footage can serve as definitive proof of our global failure to protect the innocence of children. Yet some part of Glazer’s film still commits to the idea that the children protect that essential spirit on their own. This world may have failed them, and it’s obviously crushing to watch. However, Glazer knows the simple power a child’s smile can wield. Seeing it used so respectfully as a cry for help to the world, while always spotlighting that infectious joy to entertain an audience without gimmick or trickery, makes “Joy of Joys” a rare cinematic experience.
