The feature drama Beyond What Remains, from co-directors Peter Tharos and Bassel Martin with score by John Welsman, had its world premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival on April 24, 2016.
Fernando runs a funeral home business in Mexico City, handed down to him through three generations. He’s accustomed to the grief of strangers. But not his own. Not when he has to prepare his father’s corpse for cremation. And not when his discovery of a family secret calls into question so much about the past. His father’s last wish compels him to embark on a transformative quest across remote Mexican landscapes with a street-hardened woman he’s never known — but who knows him.
Says Welsman: "This is such a quiet gem of a film, beautifully shot in black and white, with the feel of a European film from an earlier era. The score is one of the most understated I've ever composed, and when it did open up thematically, I happily took the opportunity to channel one of my earliest influences in film scoring - the great Georges Delerue. This a charming story, with powerful performances and exquisite visuals. I wanted to give it a score that gave it some magic.'
Peter Tharos comments: The score for us was the golden key. It had to bring it all together; the sense of timelessness with currents of something 'beyond' - something that was spiritually transcendent. John composed a score that is captivating and enchanting. Audiences constantly remark on how deeply it touches them.
Here's a selection from the score...
And here's the main theme in travelling mode...
For those keeping track, that's Welsman playing accordion. (With apologies to all the REAL accordion players out there.)