I recently saw three films that deal with seeking and discovery in order to gain greater understanding of family members and oneself.

Julieta (2016) directed by Pedro Almodovar. Julieta tries to rebuild her life after her teenage daughter disappears. It is through a letter that we begin to understand how they arrived at this point in their relationship. What was not said or explained created this rift between the two women and backing up and filling in details is the only way to move forward. The film deals with feeling let down by the ones you love, obsession and perseverance.

Incendies (2010) directed by Denis Villenueve. Upon the death of their mother, a pair of twins are confronted with the news that the father that they never knew is alive and that they have a brother. Their mother’s final wish is for the two of them is to find them and give them a letter from her. The twins have to travel from Canada to the Middle East with only a few clues to direct their search. The film asks the question if it is better to know the truth or not. Do we walk towards the fire or turn away?

Lion (2016) directed by Garth Davis. A young Indian boy, Saroo, is separated from his family when he was five and he can’t find his way home. He is adopted by an Australian family. Later as a young man, he is tormented by not knowing what has become of his biological family and decides he must look for them.  I really enjoyed this film. The cinematography is beautiful and the little boy, Saroo, is a pleasure to watch with his expressive dark eyes.  The themes of acceptance, forgiveness and family are strong throughout.

Diane, June2017 

Photo by Cheryl Winn-Boujnida on Unsplash

Recent Posts