Free / Fall

Free / Fall is a short film directed by Francesco La Barbera and Daniele Murgia, exploring gambling addiction through the subjective collapse of a young man trapped in a repetitive cycle of compulsion and avoidance.

The score is built around synths, piano and strings, shifting between major and minor tonalities to mirror the dopamine highs and emotional lows characteristic of addiction. In moments of heightened internal conflict, these harmonic shifts are deliberately dissonant against the surrounding melodic material, generating friction that reflects the character’s psychological instability.

The music makes frequent use of dominant seventh harmonies that resolve back onto the same chord, creating a sensation of apparent resolution that never truly moves forward. This harmonic loop reinforces the illusion of control and relief typical of addictive behavior. Underlying synth drones act as a persistent noise floor, representing the unresolved inner pressure the character attempts to suppress. The score avoids true catharsis, aligning with the film’s ending as the character ultimately returns to gambling.