''My only regret, Anna - but is it only one? - is to not have finished anything. I left all as a draft, shattered words here and there.''
During my birthday and while i was alone, i decided to watch this film that i had watched when i was a very young lad but didn't quite understand. This is the 3rd film from the trilogy of our director(Theo Aggelopoulos) called "Borders". Winner of Palm d 'Or in a difficult year, with Life is beautiful as competition.
This film presents the last and final border of a man's life, that between life and death. Alexander(Bruno Ganz), is an old writer who has one day left to live. In this day, he reminisce his life, a life full of regrets and unfinished works. He thinks about his loved ones that have left and understands how others will feel when he leaves as well.
During that day he will rescue a young Albanian immigrant, but is it really him that needs to be rescued? The boy, in fact, rescues Alexander. He brings all the good that was hidden behind Alexander's bad choices. The child acts like a mirror, reflecting Alexander's life.
Why, mother, nothing happens as we wish? Why? Why does one have to rot in silence torn between pain and desire? Why did I live my life in exile. Tell me mother, why can't one learn to love?
It's impossible to understand every detail on this movie. There is an actual border crossing scene where the fences are full of hanged people. A dead Greek-Italian poet who used to pay people to tell him Greek words he didn't know. The unseen neighbor that answers back with the same music Alexander just played.
This movie contains one of the most moving scenes i ve ever scene. A long busride where people come and go and they only thing you listen to is not the engine of the bus or the cars outside but the steps and voices of the people. You see Alexander and the boy observing a communist that falls asleep, a couple where the man is jealous of his girl, some musicians and a ticket collector. Somehow it's trully moving.
The camera work, like in all of Theo's film is slow, the camera is barely moving. The scenes are long and the cinematography beautiful. A true masterpiece, a legacy that this wonderful director left us. Theo, due to his nationality was doomed to never become popular. Although, one of the most influential directors, he died relatively unknown.
Submitted February 27, 2018 at 12:26PM by ANSWERING_TO_IDIOTS http://ift.tt/2GN7Ab6