There are ghosts inhabiting “Sound of Falling” — you just need to know where to look for them. German director Mascha Schilinski’s astonishing second feature could scarcely be more ambitious as it offers an impressionistic portrait of four young women who take turns residing in the same house over roughly 110 years.

But where other movies are overly precious while collecting the invisible string that binds characters from different time periods, “Sound of Falling” is stark and unsentimental. Covering the early 20th century through the present, gliding back and forth between eras with the deftest touch, the film views the living as merely the latest iteration of a fragile species that has been constantly struggling against unseen forces that drag it down, generation after generation. So many of the movie’s characters are long dead, their hopes and dreams now erased, while we strut and fret our hour upon the stage.

Winning the Jury Prize at last year’s Cannes, “Sound of Falling” introduces us to Alma (Hanna Heckt), a child living on her family farm in northern Germany around 1910; adolescent Erika (Lea Drinda), who occupies the house in the 1940s; flirty 1980s teen Angelika (Lena Urzendowsky); and Lenka (Laeni Geiseler), a shy tween hanging out with her mother and sister in the 21st century. Schilinski doesn’t hold the viewer’s hand, providing no title cards to indicate which time period we’re visiting. “Sound of Falling” doesn’t even start chronologically, opening with Erika as she silently adores her sleeping, bedridden uncle Fritz (Martin Rother), an amputee whose hairy chest and sweat-filled bellybutton entrance her. The reason for Fritz’s injury will eventually be revealed, but not immediately — Schilinski will not be rushed as her epic tale slowly unfolds.

In a sweepingly offhand way, “Sound of Falling” is a canny exploration of how sexism and repression echo across the ages. The unconscionable treatment of maids in Alma’s era finds uncomfortable parallels in the 1980s, when Angelika is both appalled and intrigued by the leering looks of her uncle Uwe (Konstantin Lindhorst). But Schilinski never underlines her points: Events occur not because the plot twists are attached to a larger thematic idea but, rather, because these women’s lives are crushingly commonplace for their time periods. It is only by seeing them in concert that we fully understand the whole symphony.

Much like the exceptional recent dramas “Aftersun” and “Nickel Boys,” “Sound of Falling” plays as an act of re-created memory. But while all three dreamlike films expertly mimic the imperfect act of remembering, Schilinski’s makes the past seem irretrievable — a ghost whose presence we can feel but not touch. “Sound of Falling” presents Alma’s and Erika’s agrarian segments as dusty museum pieces, with even the 1980s and 21st century portions coming across as hazy snapshots. The rueful voice-over from myriad characters is spoken in the past tense, the onscreen moments (even the present-day scenes) seemingly being recollected long after. And Fabian Gamper’s spectral cinematography sometimes incorporates POV shots that produce the sensation that we, the viewer, are physically touring these long-abandoned rooms. When the characters occasionally look at the camera, the effect is chilling, briefly but powerfully bridging the distance between then and now, them and us.

Audiences will gradually realize that there are familial connections between these women, although those specifics are best left discovered within “Sound of Falling’s” temporal drift. Family is central to Schilinski’s work. (Literally: She and Gamper are married, recently welcoming their first child.) Thus far, though, her films express misgivings about the virtue of those bonds. Her 2017 debut, “Dark Blue Girl,” concerned a young girl scheming to keep her separated parents from getting back together. In “Sound of Falling,” incest rears its ugly head, as does suicidal ideation and a relentless desire to escape. The four young women never meet, yet they share a sense of despair. Alma’s confusion at the secretive manner in which adults behave is no different than Lenka’s insecurity a century later as she befriends a girl (Ninel Geiger) who seems far older and wiser. What if Alma and Lenka could talk, “Sound of Falling” asks. What would they say to one another?

Such questions are central to this elusive marvel, which invites the viewer to complete the drawing that Schilinski evocatively sketches. Images and ideas repeat over time periods: buzzing flies, the taking of photos, the haunting use of Anna von Hausswolff’s 2015 ballad “Stranger.” The song’s lyrics don’t directly correspond to the beauty and pain contained in “Sound of Falling” — it’s just one more layer of enigma in a movie that doesn’t answer all its riddles. But these lines are a useful guide to appreciating its ghostly spell: “There is something moving against me / It’s not in line with what I know / Changing the heart, changing the spirit / Changing my path, changing my soul.” To see this film is to be transformed.

Movie Name :  Cheekatilo
Streaming Date : Jan 23, 2026
Streaming Platform : Amazon Prime Video
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Sobhita Dhulipala, Viswadev Rachakonda, Chaitanya Visalakshmi, Esha Chawla, Jhansi, Aamani, Vadlamani Srinivas, Ravindra Vijay
Director : Sharan Koppisetty
Producer : D. Suresh Babu
Music Director : Sricharan Pakala
Cinematographer  : Mallikarjun
Editor : KSN

Related Links : Trailer

After a long gap, actress Sobhita Dhulipala has returned to Telugu cinema with Cheekatilo, a web original that marks her debut in the Telugu OTT space. The series is directed by Sharan Koppishetty. Cheekatilo was released today in Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil, on Amazon Prime Video and here is our take on how it fares.

Story:

Sandhya (Sobhita Dhulipala), a journalist who quits her job over TRP-driven ethics, starts her own podcast. When her colleague Bobby (Aditi Myakal) and Bobby’s boyfriend are murdered, Sandhya uncovers a pattern linking multiple similar killings. Determined to expose the truth, she investigates the case and shares details through her podcast Cheekatilo, with support from Amar (Vishwadev Rachakonda). Who is behind the murders and why forms the core of the story.

Plus Points:

Sobhita Dhulipala takes on a role that is relatively new for her and handles it with ease. She convincingly portrays the inner pain of a woman haunted by unresolved truths. Vishwadev Rachakonda has limited screen time, but he makes good use of the scope given and leaves an impression.

While crime thrillers often reveal the antagonist early, Cheekatilo keeps the culprit hidden until the pre-climax. However, although the mystery is preserved, the film does not generate the tension required to make that reveal truly gripping.

Director Sharan Koppishetty attempts to explore the idea of unknowingly suppressing trauma through a few scenes, and the narrative from pre-climax to the climax works reasonably well. Aamani, despite limited screen presence, performs effectively. Vadlamani Srinivas gets a neat role, and seeing him in a different shade is refreshing.

Minus Points:

The core issue with Cheekatilo lies not in its concept but in its execution. In serial crime thrillers, sustained tension is crucial to keep viewers engaged. While the story offers ample scope for suspense, the narrative unfolds in a largely flat manner.

Because of this approach, the sense of urgency, what happens next and who could be the next target, rarely comes through. Scenes follow one another, but very few moments create genuine anticipation.

The police investigation, in particular, lacks seriousness and feels artificial, reducing its impact on the narrative. Similarly, the film does not convincingly establish how Sandhya’s podcast gains massive popularity in such a short span, making certain developments feel rushed and overly cinematic.

Several supporting characters, including those played by Ravindra Vijay, Jhansi, Suresh, and Vishwadev, are underwritten, limiting the emotional depth the story could have achieved. At certain points, repetitive scenes make the narrative feel stagnant, as though the film is reluctant to move forward.

Technical Aspects:

While Srikanth Pakala’s background score attempts to create a tense atmosphere, the flat writing prevents those moments from fully landing. Editing by KSN is passable, though trimming a few portions could have improved the pacing. Mallikarjun’s cinematography is adequate and suits the mood of the film. Production values are decent.

Director Sharan Koppishetty, along with co-writer Chandra Pemmaraju, presents a familiar story in a different setup. However, inconsistent execution and the lack of engaging narrative beats make the final result feel routine.

Verdict:

On the whole, Cheekatilo is a crime thriller that works in parts. Sobhita Dhulipala delivers a sincere performance, and the underlying message is clear and well conveyed. However, weak execution in a few portions, a lack of sustained tension at places, and some repetitive moments prevent the film from becoming a compelling thriller. If you enjoy thrillers, you may give it a try, but keep your expectations in check.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team 

With her nomination for the cinematography of “Sinners,” Autumn Durald Arkapaw becomes the first woman of color — and only the fourth woman ever — to be recognized in the category. The recipient of a record-setting 16 nominations, Ryan Coogler’s vampire film set in the 1930s was advanced in every category for which it was eligible. Arkapaw previously collaborated with Coogler on 2022’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

Arkapaw got on the phone on Thursday morning from her home in Altadena — thankfully spared from last year’s fires — that she shares with her husband, Adam Arkapaw, also a cinematographer.

“It’s nice to have an understanding of what each other does because it’s a hard job and making films isn’t easy,” said Durald Arkapaw of having two cinematographers under one roof. “But we also have a family, so usually when I’m working, he’s watching our son and vice versa. So it’s kind of a team effort. But there is an understanding. I wouldn’t say we talk about it all the time because it gets exhausting. You get enough of that when you’re at work.”

What do these historic firsts mean to you?

Autumn Durald Arkapaw: I’m trying to take a moment to kind of let it sink in. I’m just so honored every time I get to stand next to Ryan and make a film with him, because what I think he does and says is very unique. And we’re always doing something for the first time and with a very unique group of people. Like having all heads of departments be women of color and these are women that inspire me every day. I think now to be a part of that because [production designer] Hannah [Beachler] and [costume designer] Ruth [E. Carter] have also been able to do some work that’s been recognized. Now being a part of that group, I feel very honored, especially for a film like this. That it’s for this film, means a lot to me.

What is it about this film in particular that makes it even more special?

Arkapaw: I think for myself and most of the team members, we have a lot of history and culture rooted in this story. My family’s from New Orleans. My father was born there, my great-grandmother was born in Mississippi. So when I read the story, it felt very close to home. And I think that allows you to be able to pour yourself into it. And there’s a lot of meaning in it and you want to make your ancestors proud. This film has so much love that was poured into it on set and I think it really connected with a lot of people. And I think that’s how you do really great films. You pour as much as you can of yourself into it.

The film was such a success when it came out earlier this year. What is it that you think audiences were responding to?

Arkapaw: I’m an operator so I love to have my eyepiece to the camera and Ryan sits right next to me. So a lot of the stuff that we photographed, I was there in the moment. It was very felt. And I always said, “If I don’t feel it, then I don’t feel the audience can.” So I’m very much someone who shoots from the heart and wants to make sure that emotion is being conveyed. Ryan is the same way. There was a lot of that going on on set, where there were moments where you felt like you actually weren’t making a movie. Things were unfolding in front of you in a very unique way. Like it felt like a real space at times. That matters. If you feel that way on set, it is, it does feel communicated all the way up until the audience sees it in this dark room. And then they don’t feel like they’re watching a movie anymore. And it’s nice when that translates. It doesn’t always happen. And with this film it did, on an insane level.

Michael B. Jordan as Smoke and Stack in the movie “Sinners.”

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

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When did you and Ryan start talking about shooting in 65-millimeter Imax?

Arkapaw: He had envisioned it to be 16-millimeter. So originally, I made some lenses with Panavision that I shot “The Last Showgirl” with before this. And so I was kind of testing those in hopes that it would be something we would use. And then the studio called Ryan and said, “Have you guys thought about large format?” And he called me immediately after and he was like, “Let’s talk about it.” And we got a bunch of different formats together and when you’re talking about large format in a film context, it means 65-[millimeter]. So we tested all these different formats. And obviously we fell in love with the [Imax formats] 15-perf and the 5-perf. And putting them together for the first time was unique. That was fun to do because we tested it and then we kind of put an edit together and looked at it as a team and it all felt very right. So it’s nice to do something historic like that and have it work and have the audience enjoy that big shift of ratios.

Just from a workflow aspect, what was it like having to adjust to these new technologies?

Arkapaw: I always feel like with Ryan, he always gives me a big challenge. He likes to think big and outside the box. We did that on “Wakanda Forever.” We shot a bunch of our scenes underwater with actors, for real. And in this film, there were a lot of different sequences, moving the Imax camera around in the studio, treating it like it wasn’t necessarily a large-format film, but shooting like we would if it was a smaller camera and being true to how we like to move the camera. It’s a lot of logistics involved. You have to have an amazing team. My team personally is fantastic and they did a great job. Focus-pulling is not easy on a film like this.

So it was a challenge. But I think because everyone’s so inspired by Ryan, he’s a great leader on set and everyone really likes him, so they want to do a good job for him. I see that every time we do a film, I have the same crew that I use. It’s like a family. And they respect him. So when you give us a challenge, we really want to make sure that we do it well so that it’s a good experience for the moviegoers. Because he’s always reminding us on set about that: “Big movie, big movie.” We’re making a movie for the theaters.

When the movie was coming out, people really liked that the explainer video that Ryan made about all the different formats. How did you feel about that video and that, for something that felt so technical and nerdy, it got really popular.

Arkapaw: I remember the moment that he brought it up, we were at the Playa Vista Imax headquarters and we had just done a screening to look at the prints. And he was like, “I want to talk to you guys.” And so myself and Zinzi [Coogler], our producer, and our post-producer Tina Anderson, we went and talked for a second and Ryan said, “I want to shoot a video that explains all the formats so that people can understand what we did and what it means and all that stuff.” And his eyes lit up and I thought it was such a cool idea. Fast-forward to it coming out and everyone really embracing it because it was so thoughtful. It was really cool.

If you see it in Dolby, it’s special, but if you go see it this way, it’s even more special because the screen opens up. So I think putting that in the hands of audiences is very thoughtful. And that’s how Ryan is. He wants them to have this information because when he was a kid and going to theaters, we all felt that same way, where that one night you walked to the theater or you drove and you waited an hour to see it and it was a whole experience. And so I think that’s why it went viral because people wanted to be a part of that.

Do you have a preferred format?

Arkapaw: My preferred format is the origination format, because I’m framing the movie for Imax 1.43:1 and then also with the 2.76:1 Ultra Panavision format. So my best way of seeing the film would be the Imax 70mm full-frame print. And obviously, there are only about 40 theaters in the world that project that. I don’t think we had it in all 40, maybe we only had 11, I think, across the world. But I was very much telling everyone that if you can get a ticket, please go see it in the 70-[millimeter] projection of Imax, full-frame. It’s so beautiful.