The Berlin film festival, which finished the showing of all its
competition movies on Friday, has been swept by a wave of strong
feelings for human connection, often with drastic confrontations
with the deaths of the loved ones.
In Cherry Blossoms-Hanami by German director Doris
Doerrie, a grieving old man goes to Japan to see for himself the
cherry blossoms, which symbolizes beauty and transience, in an
effort to follow the dreams of his lost wife.
In Italian director Antonello Grimaldi's Quiet Chaos, a
previously very career-engaged father tries every effort to help
her daughter overcome the sudden death of her mother by waiting
outside his daughter's school for the entire day.
Chinese Director Wang Xiaoshuai's Zuo You (In Love We
Trust) features a divorced and separately remarried couple tries to
save their mutual child suffering from Leukemia, by being together
again. Their morally controversial reunion is aimed at giving birth
to a new baby as a bone marrow donor, which is the only alternative
to save their sick child under their circumstance.
In I've Loved You So Long by French director Philippe
Claudel, a woman tries to be emotionally reconnected with her
sister who spent 15 years in prison almost without any family
contact. She happened to find out later that her sister, who was
jailed for murder charges, actually dosed her own son, who suffered
an extremely painful illness, purely out of love and mercy.
In Mexican director Fernando Eimbcke's Lake Tahoe, a son,
who was caught up in a car accident, desperately wanders around the
city seeking a spare part to repair his car, only to find himself
further away from home as he tries to overcome the grief after the
loss of his father.
Other movies, such as the documentary Standard Operating
Procedure, which tells what really happened in the Abu Ghraib
prison in Iraq and There Will Be Blood starred by famed
American actor Daniel Lewis, all enjoy high expectations of
attaining the big prizes.
The Berlin Film Festival will end on Saturday with an award
ceremony where the Golden Bear for best movie, as well as the
Silver Bear prizes for best actor, actress and director, will be
handed out.
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(Xinhua News Agency February 16, 2008)