Friday Aug 15, 2008
57. Canadian filmmaker Paolo Barzman's second film "Emotional Arithmetic" (2007): Subtracting the past, adding the present and balancing the equation
It is fascinating how the horrors of World War II continue to spark off good, intelligent cinema around the world even after a gap of over half a century.
Emotional Arithmetic, based on a novel by Mark Cohen (I guess, a Jew), begins with an astounding remark "If you ask me if I believe in God, I am forced to answer does God believe in us?" The film is not about atheism. But it is a startling opening statement that makes you re-evaluate the film even after the movie is over. It reflects on the terrible scars left by war on orphans, on individuals who stand up and protest when wrong is done, on relationships forged in times of stress, pain and loss. It probes the secondary effect the scarred individuals have on their close family, who were not directly affected by World War II. Thus, a beautiful Canadian landscape seems to hide the horrors that inhabit the minds of some of its inhabitants.
[Read More]
Posted at 11:00PM Aug 15, 2008 by zubinabraham in Personal | Comments[0]