the tribe: a nightmarish ballet

the tribe: a nightmarish ballet

WEDNESDAY, July 8th 2015

SPOILERS.  

DO NOT READ THIS.  

JUST GO SEE THE MOVIE.

are you the type of person who always locks their car door?  their house door? the type that thinks the old man walking behind you is faking his limp and is really there to nab your purse or WORSE kidnap you and rape you?  what about that harmless group of 16 year old kids hanging out - no...lingering at the mall?  obviously, they plan to follow you to your car and kill you right? duh. well, that's me.  and The Tribe did nothing to assuage my fears, in fact, it confirmed them ALL and gave me new even darker ones to obsess over.  despite all of this everyone needs to go see it.  it is unlike anything you have ever experienced...film wise...I don't know you, maybe you've had an at home abortion or maybe you like to prostitute yourself at truck stops on weekends, I don't know.  anyway.

the entire film is in sign language with no subtitles, did you hear me? NO SUBTITLES.  it's about a TRIBE of the scariest most intense teenagers in a ukrainian boarding school for the deaf doing the most horrific things you can imagine.  apparently, ex-crime reporter and first time feature director myroslay slaboshipytskiy set out to make a "new silent film," which he did, oh yes, he did.  the story is based on things that he himself had either experienced or reported on - meaning that the whole movie is NOT his colorful imagination.  teens do this shit in ukraine.  again, confirming all my fears about humanity.  you are not safe.  people will hurt you.  trust no one. 

now, that being said, seeing past all the gruesome violence of this film, is actually the amazing part. i literally had no idea what anyone was saying to each other...but i did.  this movie was private to me.   i became the writer in some sense, not of the overall plot but of the moments, of the dialogue exchanged.  i projected hopes and dreams and motivations on everyone via body language.  i tried desperately to understand all these characters and i wasn't alone - but i was alone.  days later, i think about what other audience members were experiencing: what did their movie look like? what were they writing?  

it was a very introspective experience and a huge lesson.  never underestimate your audience.   our minds are amazing things and this film smashed mine wide open with the nightstand next to my bed.  also. never go to ukraine.  never never never.  people will attack and beat you unconscious on the train.  but do go see this movie.  see this movie.   let your brain roll.  go see this "nightmarish ballet."