"T.H.E. Human Side", the documentary short by US filmmaker Emiko Carlin, has received an official release through Amazon Prime, following a successful festival run and its premiere at TCL Theatre in Hollywood, CA (formerly the legendary Grauman’s Chinese Theatre). This included the Impact Doc Awards where it won the Award of Recognition, the Tokyo Film Awards where it won Best Short Documentary, the Vegas Movie Awards where it won the Award of Prestige - Best Documentary Short, and the Golden Horse International Film Festival, where it won Best Writer, Best Director, and Best Documentary.
The internationally award-winning short film thought provokingly explores the complex tapestry of emotions, relationships, and the innate desire for connection through HiFi. Directed by Emiko Carlin, this 27-minute documentary captivates audiences by shining a spotlight on the raw, unfiltered stories of individuals from diverse backgrounds who are all brought together by a common journey - the search for the perfect sound.
Through candid interviews, personal reflections, and heartwarming interactions, "T.H.E. Human Side" explores the universal themes of togetherness and the quest for living the fullest life with deeper meaning, in these cases, being achieved through finding the most elevated listening experiences possible. Through this journey, we meet not only the creators of music, but we learn the impact music has had on people - in some cases, how it has saved lives. The film also highlights the power of the human connection and the transformative impact of music and Hi-Fi, encouraging viewers to look, and listen, beyond the surface and connect with one another on a deeper level.
Carlin said this of her involvement in the film:
“I was approached by a man - then a random stranger - as I sat in a hotel lobby of The Home Entertainment Show, North America’s longest running Hi-Fi audio show, who wanted some advice on creating a podcast to preserve the stories of lifelong friendships he had fostered. As he told me his stories, it became evident to me that this was not a podcast. This was meant to be a documentary. The stories - living history about how three unsuspecting people all with very different backgrounds and life experiences were now permanent panels in the tapestry of this friendship – all because of their common love of Hi-Fi.
T.H.E. Human Side was my way of not only documenting these stories and relationships but inviting everyone - literally EVERYONE - into the world of the elevated listening experience. As we traveled deeper into the world of Hi-Fi, what was clear was this isn’t just a hobby or an industry. This is a lifelong obsession for many people. A beacon for those who felt alone, misunderstood, overlooked, and often “on the outside.” And yet, the very thing that was least talked about what the aspect that needed the biggest spotlight - the human beings who keep the torches lit and the flames burning.”
Carlin, alongside her work as an award-winning filmmaker, is a renowned composer, having lent her talents to over 20 television series’. Emiko (who is a mononym in her music career) has been recognized in the Songwriters Hall of Fame and appeared in numerous major music publications including Billboard, Music Connection, FM Sound and Keyboard Magazine, and has played with Cyndi Lauper, appearing with Major Lazer featuring Marcus Mumford, and more.
Emiko has signed on as a director and composer for the upcoming doc-series, "They Walk Among Us: The Long Way Home," "Finding Frank," and the new thriller series based on the critically acclaimed mystery novel, "A Corpse in the Koryo," as well as “Code Stroke,” a film chronicling the journeys of young stroke survivors, something which speaks personally to her own life experiences as a two-time stroke survivor.
