“From the rush of wind in your ears to the silence before a crucial run, every element is designed to pull you closer to their journey,” Vargas says.

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Ryan Sidhoo, The Track is a documentary that follows three teenage boys – Hamza, Mirza and Zlatan – in post-war Bosnia as they train to compete in the Olympics. Alongside their devoted coach, Senad, the boys practice luging at an abandoned track.

The film – in English and Bosnian with English subtitles – will be screened at this year’s VIFF on Oct. 3 (SFU Woodwards) and Oct. 5 (Granville Island Stage). Both screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the director.

Crafting the soundscape

“These [athletes] are not just characters but living examples of overcoming obstacles with warmth and resolve,” Vargas shares. “They’re stoic, passionate, and deeply committed, not just to sport but to proving what’s possible.”

Vargas worked on The Track during the finishing phase of its audio post-production. The process of mixing and balancing the soundtrack became its own adventure. For him, sound is never just a technical layer, it is a narrative force that creates emotional depth.

“The ambience puts you in the mood and locates you in a very specific part of the world,” he shares.

The Track’s music score – created by Edo Van Breemen and Johannes Winkler – plays a key role in creating this ambience. Vargas sees sound as bringing the audience inside the boys’ journey to qualify for the Olympics.

“The score is incredible giving it all the emotion for the big moments as well as the sad ones,” Vargas adds.

The Track’s sound design also places viewers right in the sled with athletes. According to Vargas, the team used mounted GoPros on the athletes, creating “POV sound effects” to accompany the training and racing scenes.

“We recreated the sound of being inside the track, traveling at those breakneck speeds,” he shares. “We wanted viewers to almost feel the G-force.”

Cinematic sounds

While Vargas worked to bring Sidhoo’s vision to life, the director also provided room for artistic exploration. Vargas recalls how Sidhoo trusted the team’s “taste and intuition” – allowing them to “propose different approaches.”

“[Sidhoo] pushed me towards the end, wanting to pull more emotion for big moments, he pushed for a little more,” Vargas adds.

Vargas is an experienced sound editor and re-recording mixer. He started his audio career in Venezuela. In 2011, he relocated to B.C. to study at the Vancouver Film School.

“Balancing realistic sounds, recreated effects and a soaring score was a challenge in itself,” he says. “It sounds simple, but it’s a dance.”

He adds that they don’t usually “have the luxury” for automated dialogue replacement – a process by which actors re-record their dialogues in a studio. These recordings are then used in place of the dialogue from filming, allowing for the removal of background noise.

“There’s mic bumps, clicks, rustles from clothing,” he says. “Cleaning it up and making it smooth is always a challenge.”

For Vargas, if the audience doesn’t notice the “mic was even there,” then he’s done his job right. He advises people to watch The Track in theatres and witness the power of sound for themselves.

“We mixed it for 5.1 surround sound,” he says. “It’s a theatre experience through and through.”

Vargas’ work is also featured on other VIFF films – including Jennifer Chiu’s Clan of the Painted Lady – and indie films. He was also a sound effects editor for the horror thriller film, Longlegs, directed by American filmmaker Osgood “Oz” Perkins.

An inspirational story

The Track’s story has left a personal mark on the sound designer. While pursuing their Olympic dreams, the three young boys are faced with many obstacles, including the lack of institutional and financial support. As the boys train on a bullet-riddled luge track leftover from Sarajevo’s 1984 Winter Games, the film explores how a generation responds to destruction.

Vargas describes the documentary’s subjects as “warm people” and adds that he finds their story inspiring. For him, the film is a testament to the power of determination and camaraderie.

“What stood out to me most is how much heart these guys have,” he reflects. “They faced obstacle after obstacle, with so few resources, and yet they kept going.”

Vargas shares that the story has resonated with the audience too. At the first screening, the film received a standing ovation. He sees this audience response as recognizing the film’s “extraordinary story and the sound that carried it.”

“It’s a story worth seeing and hearing, because sometimes the sound of grit, struggle and triumph is just as powerful as the image itself,” Vargas adds of The Track.

The 44th edition of VIFF showcases over 170 films and 80 shorts as well as live performances, talks and other special events. The Track is part of VIFF Northern Lights, a showcase of Canadian and Indigenous storytellers. Other films in this category include Kunsang Kyirong’s 100 Sunset, an exploration of Toronto’s Tibetan Canadian community, and Sophy Romvari’s Blue Heron, which portrays a Hungarian immigrant family’s relocation to Vancouver Island.

For more information on The Track, see:  www.viff.org/whats-on/viff25-the-track

For more information on Oscar Vargas, see: www.ovsounds.com