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Äideistä parhain (2005)
Love and Loss
In this moving Swedish and Finnish co-production, director Klaus Härö uses a historical glimpse of the Nordic countries to examine aspects of the human condition. Härö addresses the nature of loss as well as the meaning of family. "Mother of Mine" is the tale of a young boy, Eero (Topi Majaniemi), one of more than 70,000 war children displaced from Finland in World War II and relocated in neutral Sweden. Following the death of Eero's father in the war, Eero's mother, Kirsti (Marjaana Maijala), is severely grief stricken and chooses to send Eero to live with a family in rural Sweden. Eero's foster parents, Signe (Maria Lundqvist) and Hjalmar (Michael Nyqvist) expect to adopt a young girl and are thus surprised when he arrives. Hjalmar welcomes Eero warmly and is able to form a strong relationship with the boy. Signe, however, is unexpectedly cold and short-tempered to her new foster child. As Eero overcomes the difficulties of assimilating in this new environment, the reason for Signe's bitterness is made clear, and the relationship between Eero and his foster mother begins to grow.
The nature of loss is addressed in a rather broad manner in "Mother of Mine." Characters in this film experience both the loss of life and the temporary loss of connection to a loved one. The first significant instance of loss is the death of Eero's father. This has a devastating impact on Kirsti, who is overwhelmed with severe depression. While the characters' reactions to this loss suggests Kirsti is most heavily affected, the young Eero is stricken by the recurring element of broken promises, which accompanies loss in this film. Eero's father promises that he will return soon and everything will be as it was, which is shattered early in the film. Shortly after, loss is experienced in another form, as Kirsti sends her only child away to Sweden. During their farewells, Kirsti echos her husband's promise to Eero, saying they will be together soon and everything will be as it was. Eero, recognizing the similarity to his father's promise, is unwilling to blatantly accept and is faced with the loss of his only remaining family member. In Sweden, Signe's past is plagued by the death of her six year old daughter. In addition to grief, Signe's loss is accompanied by guilt for her lack of attentiveness that led to her daughter's drowning. Signe also experiences the loss of Eero, a child she has come to know as her own. Eero is once again left with a broken promise; Signe states Eero and her will never be separated. Härö presents loss and its impacts in a number of forms in "Mother of Mine". In doing so, Härö includes a Christian theme as an explanation for loss, the Lord gives and the Lord takes away, which Signe shares with Eero as she explains the reason for death and loss. This Christian perspective of loss is a rather distinct element of the film.
A unique set of film techniques is used within "Mother of Mine" to contribute to the pathos and focus of the film. Music plays an integral role in "Mother of Mine." Tones within the film are emphasized by the score, which is often in a minor key. In addition, a handful of slow motion scenes are used to heighten the intensity of critical scenes, including the scene in which Eero is forced to leave Hjalmar and Signe in Sweden. The use of color in the portrayal of Eero's childhood and monochrome for the latter stages of Eero's life emphasizes the importance of the events of his childhood in relation to his adult life. Subtle techniques such as these contribute very heavily to the overall quality and effect of the film.
Härö provides a very interesting examination of the nature of family in "Mother of Mine." The film begins with a breakdown of a family unit following the death of Eero's father. Eero is separated from his mother and introduced into a new family, in which he becomes a fundamental part of. As Eero's relationship with Signe grows, his ties to Kirsti begin to unwind. The weakening relationship between Eero and his mother is a result of his perception of her actions; Eero associates his mother's choice to send and keep him in Sweden with abandonment. It is only after many years that Eero realizes his mother's intentions reflect her love her son. Härö's use of this complex structure of relationships supports a broad definition of family that is not limited to blood ties, even if those ties remain a part of one's life. That being said, this film demonstrates the equal love for a son, by two independent mothers, and the difficulties in choosing what is best for him.
"Mother of Mine" is powerful and emotional film that displays distinct elements of human nature in a factual and unique historical context. In this film, Härö provides a Christian, but universal perspective of loss and examines the love present in uncommon relationships. The result is a work of art that goes beyond the traditional bounds of cinema.
Du levande (2007)
A Unique Portrayal of Humanity
In his fourth and most recent feature film, director Roy Andersson examines the mundanity of human existence, making use of an incredibly distinct filming style. This dark comedy highlights the egocentric nature of mankind as well as the struggle to find happiness in life. Unique to "You, The Living" is its general lack of a plot and character development. The film introduces a number of individuals, depicting rather ordinary aspects of their life in long, artful shots. These fifty vignettes have only minor links to previous scenes and lack a persistent storyline. But without a plot, the focus of the film turns toward the nuances in the lives of the characters. Accompanying the film's absence of plot is the lack of prominent protagonists. The roles of some characters, however, are emphasized through both the appearance in multiple shots, as well as the importance their dialogue or interaction within the scene. These characters include a self-pitying, overweight woman (Elisabeth Helander), a carpenter (Leif Larsson) who dreams of his own unusual crime, trial, and execution, a worn down psychiatrist (Håkan Angser), a business man (Olle Olson) who receives a botched haircut before an important meeting, and a young woman (Jessika Lundberg) who dreams of marrying a famous musician, Micke Larsson, after meeting him in a bar.
The stylistic elements of "You, The Living" are prominent strengths of the film. Roy Andersson creates a distinct film aesthetic through the use of multiple cinematic techniques. The use of a stationary camera in nearly all of the shots is one of the most apparent techniques. Each shot is tediously composed to capture all elements of the scene. In addition, the use of only fifty scenes makes it necessary for each take to be relatively long. Long takes from a fixed camera position emphasize the individual characters and their interactions within the scene. Andersson also uses very subdued color tones and contrast in each of his scenes as well as lighting that eliminates shadows. The result is a very surreal tone and, when combined with the detailed and stationary composition, a scene that is very much an individual work of art. Along with these cinematic techniques, music plays an interesting role in this film. Music is used both diegetically and non-diegetically. Micke Larsson's guitar solo, an example of the use of diegetic music, is in the style of a rock ballad. But the film also uses dixieland jazz, a rather uncharacteristic style for both the melancholic tone of the film and Nordic film in general.
Through its portrayal of mundane human existence, "You, The Living" highlights the self- centered nature of humanity. Mia, who is introduced early in the film, strongly exemplifies this theme of egotism. Each of her scenes is accompanied by verbal self-pity. Mia rejects any attempt to improve her well-being, yet maintains that no one can understand her. Her distinct sense of self-importance is contrasted with her partner, portrayed as a rational individual. While his suggestion early in the film has little to do with the theme of egotism, it communicates a much broader message of the film; "You have to do your best in life. Or At least try." Another prominent example of mankind's egotism is seen through the business man who receives a butchered haircut. The man's self-importance is reflected in his bitter and racist attitude toward the barber. This bitterness, derived from the man's egotism, is attacked with a swift and humorous thrust of the razor, a not-so-subtle commentary on the egocentric nature of mankind.
In addition to highlighting humanity's self-centered tendencies, "You, The Living" examines the struggle to find happiness. After meeting Micke Larsson in a bar, a young woman, Anna, desires to see him again and even dreams they get married. Throughout the film, Anna searches for Micke Larsson and the happiness he has come to represent. But Anna is left only with her dream, providing a seemingly real experience, but ultimately, artificial happiness. The psychiatrist's monologue provides a direct portrayal of the nature of finding happiness. He notes that people demand to be happy, while being egocentric, selfish, and ungenerous. The psychiatrist knows therapy cannot make a mean person happy so he simply prescribes pills. This scene and message is very honest in its delivery. The notion of finding happiness as a process without a quick-fix is an important one in this film, which points back to the character of Mia. In all of her self-pitying misery, Mia identifies an easy solution to her joyless life: "If only I had a motorcycle." Unique to this film is the utter lack of happiness, despite the inclusion of elements commonly associated with happiness. Even considering his apparent success, the businessman is unhappy. Marriage bonds a number of couples in the film, yet they are unhappy. Even Anna, a character in love, is unhappy. This sense of melancholy present throughout the film suggests mere existence is not enough to provide true happiness.
In all, "You, The Living" is an incredibly unique film, both in terms of cinematic style and the portrayal of humanity. The muted color-scape, dark humor, and emphasis on the mundane aspects of life are distinct Nordic expressions, but the film's depiction of life and mankind are universal. A film that simply examines the lives of ordinary people is one that will leave a lasting impression.
Efter brylluppet (2006)
A Powerful and Moving Film from Denmark
Susanne Bier depicts the story of an orphanage manager living in India and a wealthy Danish family in a powerful and moving film that addresses a number of aspects of human relationships. In her film, Bier provides an authentic portrayal of love within individual relationships while examining the nature of control and choice. After the Wedding follows a Danish aid worker, named Jacob (Mads Mikkelsen) who runs and orphanage and provides for under-privileged children in India. Jacob is also the surrogate father of Pramod (Neeral Mulchandani), a young boy who lives with him at the orphanage. When the orphanage requires funding, Jacob must travel to Denmark to meet with the benefactor, Jørgen Hannson (Rolf Lassgård), a confident self-made billionaire. Jørgen's daughter, Anna (Stine Fischer Christensen), is getting married to Christian (Christian Tafdrup), one of Jørgen's employees, soon after Jacob arrives and Jørgen spontaneously invites Jacob to the wedding. Jacob runs into his former lover, Helene (Sidse Babett Knudsen) who happens to be Jørgen's wife. As the celebration unfolds, Jacob learns that Anna is actually his own daughter, and Jørgen's intentions may not be what he expected.
Love is emphasized in a number of relationships between the characters in After the Wedding. Perhaps the prominent example of love is seen between Jørgen and Helene. Unique about the portrayal of this relationship is its realistic quality. The love between Jørgen and Helene is seen throughout the film. Their interaction at the beginning of the film in the bathroom establishes the positive tone for their relationship and continues to the end with their genuine happiness together at Jørgen's birthday celebration. But Bier also illustrates the conflict and tension between the couple. The scene in Jørgen's office is a prime example, demonstrating a degree of frustration between them. Ultimately, what is seen is a relationship that is not perfect, but realistic, marked by a wide range of emotion, both positive and negative. The result is a natural portrayal of love between Jørgen and Helene, highlighting its strength and ability to transcend the minor conflicts in their relationship. The recent marriage of Anna and Christian exemplifies love in a contrasting light. Christian's adulterous affair exposes a common harsh reality of love, and the emotional effect when it is lost. Jørgen and Anna demonstrate the reciprocal love between father and daughter. Evidence of this is seen in Jørgen's joy during Anna's wedding and reception and, in an opposite sense, Anna's grief following the discovery of her father's terminal illness. After the Wedding presents love as a diverse emotion and rather than a superficial portrayal, love is depicted in a raw and natural fashion.
The film's natural portrayal of love is a result, in part, by the brilliant performances by the leading roles. Rolf Lassgård stands out in this regard, with a superb ability to portray the confidence and power that is such a part of Jørgen's character. His final scene is the most raw, unrestrained display of emotion I have seen in a film. In addition to the outstanding acting, a number of filming techniques contribute to this film's strength. Bier utilizes extreme close-up shots, primarily of the characters' eyes, providing the audience with a more intimate connection to the character and their thoughts and emotions. Bier also includes a number of similar shots focused on the eyes of dead animals in Jørgen's study, as well as shots of dead vegetation, a unique and chilling method of foreshadowing. The music used enhances the emotional effect on the audience, specifically in the final scenes. A song by the Icelandic band Sigur Rós is used in the final moments of the film to produce one of the most moving scenes I have experienced in film. The filming style uses many natural elements, including natural lighting and the use of hand-held cameras, providing a human- centric perspective of the scene. In all, these techniques form a simplistic and tasteful style that puts the focus on the characters and their relationships.
After the Wedding not only examines love through relationships, but also the significance and nature of control and choice. Bier addresses control most prominently with Jørgen and Jacob. Jørgen, the self-made billionaire, is accustomed to high degree of control and power over many aspects of his life. However, control over his life is lost with the onset of his terminal illness. Jørgen notes on man's inability to control everything, which has recently become a very harsh reality for Jørgen. In his loss of control, Jørgen makes an attempt to control what he will leave behind, though not maliciously by any means, rather to ensure the well-being of the family he loves. Jacob is Jørgen's primary focus, but even as Jørgen attempts to control him, Jacob remains in control. Though Jacob eventually fills the role as a fatherly figure in Jørgen's family, as Jørgen had intended, Jacob's decision is independent of Jørgen's incentives and reflects Jacob's realization of his responsibility to care for his daughter and her mother. The film presents the idea that control and power does not always lie in the hands of those one would expect. In addition, Bier addresses choice most prominently with Jacob. Jacob is left with an extremely difficult choice. He is divided between India and Denmark and must choose to sacrifice his established life in India and his fatherhood of Pramod, in order to become the father figure Jørgen's family.
After the Wedding is an incredibly powerful and moving film, which is accomplished through a filming style that highlights characters and their relationships, and the authentic portrayal of love and raw emotion. Through this film, Bier not only provides an insight as to the nature of love and relationships, but also to that of choice and control in way that leaves the moral judgments of the character's choices in the hands of the audience.
Hawaii, Oslo (2004)
A Powerful and Fresh Film-Going Experience
Director Erik Poppe presents a sophisticated and theme-oriented film that portrays love and desperation in a genuine fashion. In addition, Poppe succeeds in supplying a unique perspective of the nature of fate and divine influence. "Hawaii, Oslo" is a tale of a handful of people whose lives quickly become interconnected. The film follows Leon (Jan Gunnar Røise), a young patient in a mental institution, who is awaiting the arrival of Åsa (Evy Kasseth Røsten), a childhood friend. The two had agreed ten years earlier to meet on his 25th birthday and get married if both had remained single. Vidar (Trond Espen Seim), an orderly at the institution, is Leon's compassionate caregiver, whose tragic dreams foretell the future. Mikkel (Benjamin Lønne Røsler) and Magne (Ferdinand Falsen Hiis) are two young boys forced to look after themselves following the recent death of their father. Frode (Stig Henrik Hoff) and Milla (Silje Torp Færavaag) are proud new parents whose happiness turns to grief as they learn their newborn son has a rare heart defect. He only has a few days to live unless his parents can find enough money for a procedure in America. Bobbie-Pop (Petronella Barker), a fading singer, is introduced during her attempted suicide. Trygve (Aksel Hennie), Leon's brother, uses his twelve-hour leave from jail to celebrate Leon's birthday, a celebration that is also part of Trygve's prison escape plan. The paths of each character begin to cross as Vidar frantically searches for Leon following a dream that predicts Leon's sudden death.
The film is built upon multiple themes, but love and its convergence with desperation, create the foundation. Love is portrayed in multiple forms within the film. The love between Leon and Åsa, with youthful origins, is pure and resilient, withstanding years of separation. This love is a driving force for Leon throughout the film, sending him running to the bar, Hawaii, to meet Åsa. Mikkel's tough love for his brother Magne is evident in their interaction. Mikkel's snide remarks and quarrels with Magne are not uncommon for a brotherly relationship, even without the stress of recent loss and loneliness they are living with. Mikkel's anger is largely brought on by his fear of separation from his younger brother, displaying the underlying love between them. Frode's love for his newborn son is made clear in his desperation. Frode exhausts all means of acquiring funds for his son's procedure, including the sale of all his possessions. Trygve's love for Leon, though implicitly expressed, is undermined by Trygve's choice to ignore Leon's desire to reunite with Åsa, favoring their joint escape out of the country. Trygve's desire for, or even love of freedom is strong enough to prompt him to break the trust of those closest to him and commit an armed robbery out of desperation. Vidar's love for Leon strongly resembles that of a father. Evidence of Vidar's compassion is seen in the early scenes as he prepares Leon for bed, as well as Vidar's exchange outside of the bar, Hawaii. The reciprocal of this love is displayed most prominently in the film's final scene, adding greatly to the scene's emotional effect. Love and desperation are portrayed powerfully, yet realistically. Both Frode and Trygve's desperation is raw and unrestrained, which is accurate considering their situations. Love in the film is natural and unidealized, creating a more relevant and true to life image of love.
The authenticity of love and desperation is complemented by both a simplistic filming style and soundtrack. A number of scenes are shot without the use of a tripod, allowing for a more natural perspective of the scene. The soundtrack is simple and tasteful. The use of kaleidoscope scene transitions is quite clever, and highlights the interconnected nature of the characters in the story; the images in the kaleidoscope are unique, but part of the same system just as the characters are independent, but ultimately intertwined. Together, the filming techniques, transitions and soundtrack create a unique and favorable aesthetic.
The portrayal of the nature of fate and divine influence is also a unique aspect of "Hawaii, Oslo." Vidar's character is perhaps the most complex in the film. Poppe presents a number of visual and spoken clues as to the true role of Vidar. His ability to foresee events while dreaming is evidence towards divine influence. Vidar has knowledge of Mikkel and Magne's father's death, without any connection to the brothers. Leon refers to him as his "guardian angel" and the white feathers that appear with Vidar in the opening and closing scenes suggest Vidar is an angelic figure. The paper girl is also presented as a divine figure. Near the end of the film, Vidar addresses her saying, "You aren't who you say you are." She responds, "Neither are you." This exchange suggests that both the girl and Vidar serve similar roles. Vidar and the girl have a crucial role in the portrayal of the nature of fate. Every character severely lacks control of his or her fate, despite the effort he or she contributes. It is only when a divine figure intervenes that the individual's desired outcome is achieved. In Leon's case, Vidar keeps him from fleeing the bar after he initially meets Åsa. It is the paper girl's hug that finally allows Mikkel to accept Bobbie into his life. And it is Vidar who takes Leon's place as the victim in the accident. Poppe presents this idea of fate and divine influence without being overbearing.
"Hawaii, Oslo" provides a powerful and fresh film-going experience. The film successfully examines the nature of love, desperation, fate, and divine influence through a unique film aesthetic. Poppe depicts love and desperation in an unromanticized and life-like fashion. Fate and divine influence are examined, though subtly, leaving the final interpretation up to the audience.