We seemed to find quite a lot to say after we'd watched it - LOL!
Trying to remember now to put it into words! We talked about change coming in from the outside, and how in the past the church was very firmly established in the middle of the 'system' for want of a better phrase, and now fewer and fewer people are going to church and so the church is the 'outsider' in a sense. The woman and her daughter came in from the outside and began to change people, little by little.
They were extremely generous with their time and their money, and cared for people and slowly brought the village back to life.
Then there was all the story about the church and the priest and the count writing the sermons and controlling everybody, and how different it was when the priest spoke his real mind, words straight from the heart, at the end of the film. We wondered how many preachers have the temptation to say what they think the people want to hear, in order to conform or be liked, rather than what they really feel a conviction to say.
We talked about how when the main character was at her lowest, and intending to leave, the village rallied around and helped her, and how if they hadn't done that, she would have gone. Therefore we all have a responsibility to... 'carry' one another when the ones who are low need to be carried for a while.
Also, having set the people of the village free, Vienne herself was set free in the end - set free from the need to follow in the footsteps of her forbears and do what she actually wanted to do, which was stay. I thought it was very symbolic that her mother's ashes blew away on the wind at the end, thus leaving Vienne to fully be herself and accommodate her daughter's very real need for some stability.
I really enjoyed the film and have come away challenged and inspired.
Being one-eighth Roma it was nice to see a positive Gypsy role model in the media. I am seven-eighths joking there.
I really liked the emphasis on 'making shared history'. In the scenes where they were mending the shop door and the party the people were joining together, having fun, chatting and doing things together. These moments are precious, and help to foster friendship. When good friends reminisce they often look back to moments like these - they are the friends' shared history. One reason for the creative group activity evenings we have monthly is to create opportunities for us to develop these in our group.
I have seen this movie quite a few times and it is still as enjoyable and fresh each time I see it.The relationships and attitudes start off quite broken within the village community but mend with time,courage and a little helpful although not always welcomed persuasion from 'Outsider' Vienne and actually (in the end) by the townsfolk themselves.The individual stories of each character have their own way of detailing complex human emotion and issues of temptation,doubt,reason,acceptance and friendship to name but a few. Aside from all that, it is a wonderful film,shot beautifully with a very catchy score.I love it!
Can't seem to log in to my google account... oh well... this is completely off the topic but I'm planning to go away for a weekend at the beginning of May... Are there any cat lovers out there who would mind just popping in (once Saturday, once Sunday) just to give them a bit of food? Miaow... I live in Wistaston 'Blonde' Geoff
I might be able to catsit for you. Any excuse to fuss a feline friend. Wanted to bring my Nan's new cat Bilbo home with me from her house last weekend.I think she may have noticed my holdall wriggling though.
We all seemed to find this month's film inspiring, moving and challenging. Please post some thoughts in the comments; I will too when I have a moment.
7 comments:
(...which doesn't happen very often now there's a little bundle thrust into his arms at every spare moment!)
We seemed to find quite a lot to say after we'd watched it - LOL!
Trying to remember now to put it into words! We talked about change coming in from the outside, and how in the past the church was very firmly established in the middle of the 'system' for want of a better phrase, and now fewer and fewer people are going to church and so the church is the 'outsider' in a sense. The woman and her daughter came in from the outside and began to change people, little by little.
They were extremely generous with their time and their money, and cared for people and slowly brought the village back to life.
Then there was all the story about the church and the priest and the count writing the sermons and controlling everybody, and how different it was when the priest spoke his real mind, words straight from the heart, at the end of the film. We wondered how many preachers have the temptation to say what they think the people want to hear, in order to conform or be liked, rather than what they really feel a conviction to say.
We talked about how when the main character was at her lowest, and intending to leave, the village rallied around and helped her, and how if they hadn't done that, she would have gone. Therefore we all have a responsibility to... 'carry' one another when the ones who are low need to be carried for a while.
Also, having set the people of the village free, Vienne herself was set free in the end - set free from the need to follow in the footsteps of her forbears and do what she actually wanted to do, which was stay. I thought it was very symbolic that her mother's ashes blew away on the wind at the end, thus leaving Vienne to fully be herself and accommodate her daughter's very real need for some stability.
I really enjoyed the film and have come away challenged and inspired.
I agree with everything Helen said!
Being one-eighth Roma it was nice to see a positive Gypsy role model in the media. I am seven-eighths joking there.
I really liked the emphasis on 'making shared history'. In the scenes where they were mending the shop door and the party the people were joining together, having fun, chatting and doing things together. These moments are precious, and help to foster friendship. When good friends reminisce they often look back to moments like these - they are the friends' shared history. One reason for the creative group activity evenings we have monthly is to create opportunities for us to develop these in our group.
I have seen this movie quite a few times and it is still as enjoyable and fresh each time I see it.The relationships and attitudes start off quite broken within the village community but mend with time,courage and a little helpful although not always welcomed persuasion from 'Outsider' Vienne and actually (in the end) by the townsfolk themselves.The individual stories of each character have their own way of detailing complex human emotion and issues of temptation,doubt,reason,acceptance and friendship to name but a few.
Aside from all that, it is a wonderful film,shot beautifully with a very catchy score.I love it!
A counterpoint, which I largely disagree with!
Can't seem to log in to my google account... oh well... this is completely off the topic but I'm planning to go away for a weekend at the beginning of May... Are there any cat lovers out there who would mind just popping in (once Saturday, once Sunday) just to give them a bit of food? Miaow... I live in Wistaston
'Blonde' Geoff
I might be able to catsit for you.
Any excuse to fuss a feline friend.
Wanted to bring my Nan's new cat Bilbo home with me from her house last weekend.I think she may have noticed my holdall wriggling though.
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