Nina Conti: Her Master's Voice

Nina Conti: Her Master's Voice (2012) is an engaging documentary that comically and poignantly captures the unique art of ventriloquism and its passionate practitioners. Directed by Nina Conti and featuring actors Jim Broadbent and Daisy Campbell, the film cherishes the eccentricities and the profound emotional depth found in this compelling traditional craft.

In the documentary, acclaimed British ventriloquist Nina Conti, who is well-known for her innovative and often humorous approach to ventriloquism, takes us on a profound journey into the unconventional world of puppets and their masters. The film acknowledges Ken Campbell, Nina's former lover and mentor, who left her his own collection of ventriloquist dolls known as vent figures, after his untimely death. Ken, a flamboyant and audacious English stage actor, director, and raconteur, significantly influenced the path of Nina’s career.

At the heart of Her Master's Voice, Nina is driven to figure out why Ken chose her to be the caretaker of these unique vent figures. As a redemption rite and tribute to her fallen mentor, Nina takes all the venerable vent figures to the Vent Haven Convention in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, USA. The convention is the world’s only gathering of ventriloquists and serves as a ventriloquism museum – a final resting place for poppets that are no longer in use.

The film gets its richness and vibrancy from the distinctive interplay between the worlds of the living, the inanimate, and the ones caught in between. Nina’s vent figures are not just mere props, but they come alive in her hands, each bearing its own persona differing from the others. Ranging from wry humor to sharp wit to gloominess, these vent figures along with their masters bring the viewer into a spectrum of emotions, striking the chords of laughter, surprise, and sometimes melancholy.

In the documentary, we see Nina Conti wrestling with her innate reservations and the scrutiny of the world to fully commit to this age-old performance style. Contributions from Jim Broadbent and Daisy Campbell further deepen the narrative, as they offer their perceptions and an understanding of this meticulous form of art that continues to create magic and influence generations.

Moreover, the film brings light on how ventriloquism allows these artists to express themselves in a way that otherwise may not be socially accepted. Each puppeteer finds unique ways of expressing thoughts, emotions, and reservations through their vent figures, symbolizing an outcry of their subconscious. The conversations and dialogues often challenge common norms and provide a satirical commentary on various aspects of life.

Throughout Her Master's Voice, Nina Conti brilliantly conveys the complexities of ventriloquism, with her performances oscillating between multiple roles and voices, resulting in a fascinating display that blurs the line between the puppet and the puppeteer. The ventriloquist dummies represent different facets of her personality, surfacing emotions that allow her to explore her identity and voice in unexplored dimensions.

The film is underscored by an intuitive and subtle underpinning of loss and grief. The process of reconciling with her mentor's death, understanding her relationship with the puppets he left behind, and her own evolution as a ventriloquist forms the crux of the documentary. All these elements interweave to create a narrative that is heartfelt, vulnerable, captivating, and undeniably powerful.

Part road trip documentary, part introspection, and part tribute, 'Nina Conti: Her Master's Voice', presents a touching exploration of the human condition through a unique perspective. It examines how seemingly inanimate objects can personify and externalize our deepest thoughts, fears, desires, and even contradictions.

Shot in a style that's cleverly organic and immersive, the film has an engaging rhythm that mirrors the duality of ventriloquism—the tension and interplay between the ventriloquist and the vent figure, questioning notions of control, identity, and voice.

In summary, Nina Conti: Her Master's Voice is a beautifully crafted, thought-provoking documentary that not only paints a vibrant picture of ventriloquism but also explores intensely personal themes of love, loss, self-discovery, and resolution. It delivers a unique and intimate viewing experience, leaving audiences moved, amused, and profoundly affected long after the credits roll.