Horror Film Soft & Quiet Was Inspired By A Real-Life Viral Moment
"Soft & Quiet" is a unique Blumhouse production. It's not about paranormal activity or psychotic killers but the banality of evil. Beth de Araújo's intense film centers on a group of white supremacists who host the first meeting of the "Daughters for Aryan Unity," which escalates into a night of cruel violence. Araújo explores the malevolence that exists right under our noses, whether it be the average suburban mom, an elementary school teacher, or the local grocery store owner. Even these kinds of seemingly innocuous people can have insidious viewpoints that perpetuate the very worst of racial and gender stereotypes.
They are the types of conservative white women who helped Donald Trump ascend to the presidency. The ease with which they spit out some of the most horrible, stereotypical thoughts about people of color is chilling. They believe that they are inherently superior simply because they are white Christians. Yet, at the same time, they portray themselves as marginalized victims because people of color are "unfairly" taking work and growth opportunities that they believe are rightfully theirs as the "founding" Americans.
Employing a handheld camera and single-take technique, de Araújo immerses the audience in the nauseating horrors of the evening when they follow a pair of Asian-American women home after a confrontation. The unsettling and intimate shots push you into the thick of their disturbing attitudes, making it impossible to look away from the nasty taunting and physical brutality. Sadly, people of color often face this type of dangerous bigotry. The divisive and shocking "Soft & Quiet" is a harsh reflection of our society's pervasive racism, inspired by a particular instance of prejudice in a highly-discussed viral video from 2020.
The overt racial bias of the Central Park birdwatching incident
Beth de Araújo wrote "Soft & Quiet" after viewing the Amy Cooper video on May 25, 2020. It features a white woman angrily calling the police and making false accusations against a Black birdwatcher, Christian Cooper, after he reminds her to leash her dog. Araújo told Fangoria she was both unsettled and inspired by the event, especially as a Chinese-Brazilian woman: "[Amy Cooper] reminded me of someone that I have encountered in my life. A surge of emotion took over, and I just started frantically writing."
The Amy Cooper incident demonstrates how white people can easily weaponize racial biases. Her actions exploited the racial stereotype that Black men, even one who is politely enforcing park rules, are inherently harmful. We've seen this throughout history with Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, and George Floyd. "Soft & Quiet" delves into similar racially charged clashes where, for people of color, a threat to their livelihood is very real. The high-tension film also examines how white women manipulate the gendered stereotype of being the "fairer sex" to bolster their victim status in conflicts with people of color.
Amy Cooper's actions reflect the various racial microaggressions throughout the film, such as Emily shooting daggers at the Latino cleaning woman or asking the Asian-American sisters if they need to speak slower so they can understand English. These tiny exchanges carry a wellspring of hatred, acting as a volatile powder keg that can be easily triggered to explode into a turbulent situation. "Thoughts and words have weight. Hateful thoughts and words have more weight. Violent rhetoric can quickly escalate into real-world violence," Beth de Araújo observed, and she uses "Soft & Quiet" to spotlight the potential dangers that lie in everyday interactions (via Forbes).