TIFF25 REVIEW: Whistle [20XX]

Rating: NR | Runtime: 84 minutes
Studio: Madman Entertainment
Director(s): Christopher Nelius
Writer(s): Alan Hicks & Christopher Nelius / Paula Dupré Pesmen & Like Mazzaferro (co-written)

Is it fun? Yes. Is it strange? Very.

Not only is there a competition for whistlers to be crowned “world champion,” but there are actually many such events around the globe. Masters of Musical Whistling is but one that takes place in Hollywood, California under the stewardship of a former champion Carole Anne Kaufman. She pays for it out of her own pocket and considers it her legacy because the first thirty-five years of these tournaments never had one woman victor. This is therefore her way to pay her love for the art forward and build a community of likeminded souls.

Christopher Nelius’ documentary Whistle takes us behind the scenes of Carole’s work producing the show and the contestants preparing their routines. It’s unsurprisingly a kooky bunch of winners (Lauren Elder), perpetual runners-up (Yuki Takeda), professionals (Molly Lewis), and newcomers to the scene (Ayna Ziordia and Jay Winston). We learn about the origins of their passion, how they incorporate whistling into their lives, and the anxieties they face transitioning a usually solitary act into a performance for judges and audiences alike.

Credit all involved for their vulnerability because it speaks to the seriousness of this competition as well as their shared humanity. That goes for performers worrying about their selected classical piece being repeated by three other musicians, a volunteer dealing with substance abuse issues, and Carole herself needing to be reminded by her staff to take a breath once her stress manifests as unnecessary anger towards those helping to make her event a success. There’s a lot of ego on-screen, but humility is never far behind.

The whole carries a wonderfully entertaining vibe as a result—not only because the music and talent is so good, but also because the performers truly become each other’s cheerleaders. There’s a great scene where Davitt Felder knows he’s bombed and yet he still holds his head high as Molly consoles him. He understands the moment and knows he has two more chances to redeem himself and show his peers he has what it takes. Even two of the best (Yuki and Ayna) are perfectionist constantly reminding each other to cut themselves some slack.

Nelius and his co-writers find some really compelling threads to follow beyond Carole’s emotionally draining efforts too. Molly adjusting to a new forum wherein technical prowess demands she not use reverb despite it being a huge tool in her musical career. Yuki still chasing his first victory only to see yet another newcomer in Ayna threaten to hold him at bay yet again. And Jay simply going out there to see if he can hang with the best. This is a former Broadway dreamer turned teacher finally giving himself the chance to leave everything on a stage.

That camaraderie shines because most of the participants seek the same sense of inclusion. Whistling at this level isn’t common, so talking shop and showcasing their unique talents (Yuki panting to speed up tempo, Ayna’s tongue work creating vibrato, and Molly’s ability to whistle as clearly and strongly while breathing in as out) proves a joy for all. And it becomes a joy for us to become a fly on the wall during their insanely good performances. It’s honestly also just nice to watch nerds find the freedom to unapologetically be themselves.