Rendering 9: 'Films That Make the World a Better Place'

The article ‘Films That Make the World a Better Place’ was published in the web site KustendorfFilm and Music Festival on January 22, 2013. It discusses the formation of the omnibus 7 Days In Havana, its forms and to define the reach and potential benefits.

   Speaking of the omnibus, it’s interesting to note the film director Elia Suleiman’s opinion about short films’ creation in the whole. So first of all, the most important thing, that must be mentioned, is that short films are like a chance for the director to work at his feature films in a relaxed setting. Besides, they are like ‘dress rehearsals’ and a great chance to try some new ideas and pictures before the feature film.

   The second thing, that Suleiman mentioned, is the usage and meaning of humor in short films, as    humor is not the consequence of an artistic strategy, but a thing that is humanly inherent. And, analyzing its role, it’s necessary to emphasize that the most important thing for humor is choosing the right moment. It’s all about repetition and anticipation of repetition, as well as a tiny, barely noticeable change of detail as tools to use in order to bring forth the moment for presenting the point. Moreover, there’s every reason to believe that humor is the thing that breaks continuity in the same way that laughter creates a hole in the passing of time; it’s a medium of political action, a reason that always cancels out manifestation of rules.

   Giving appraisal of the omnibus, Emir Kusturica’s opinion about it must be noted, as it’s a result of a work put in by people that were gathered around an idea, which in the end made no one in that group sure what the idea actually is. For him it’s an open secret that Suleiman is a spiritual descendant of the great Jacques Tati, as his film (The Time That Remains) must surpass spontaneity in order to truly become a work of art.

   In conclusion Suleiman draws his attention to the moment that he creates films not with a mission or a concrete idea concerning social engagements, but because he hopes that he will make the microcosms that forms his audience more festive and happier.

   The only thing that I can say is that I absolutely agree with Suleiman that film directors have to create such films that make people happier. I really think it’s true, as sometimes a film with humor (that’s placed in the right moment) make people smile, not drama or catastrophe movies, as they make us happy only for a very short period of time, during which we understand how our relatives and friends are important for us, we are happy that they are with us and people in the whole world are good and kind. But it is just a momentary insanity. Films with humor make us smile even in poverty, which we have to overcome with a smile, and believe that your life is like the film with a happy end (how trite it may sound).