 | The Night I Swam (La Nuit où j'ai nagé) - 2017
Snow, snow, and even more snow. Everything around is coated with a thick white cloak. A father leaves every night for his work down at the fish market. A child - almost awake and almost asleep - swims through the snowy streets. He has a destination and a mission. |
"The Night I Swam" is not a film for everybody. The French touch can be felt right at the start of the movie - filled with fine details, specific camera work and still life type of scenes. The little boy is in the center of the plot with his walk around the snow-filled Japanese city. A frame is present at the beginning and at the end of the movie - a staircase, snowfall can be seen through the window, and a hurried cigarette. We seem to have an ending to the story but actually, the cycle continues beyond. The wheel continues to spin no matter what the little boy does, however the story changes - the father always goes to work before the boy awakes. Always missing each other, always leaving "love letters" for each other - one with drawings, the other with a silent gesture. Despite the deeply heartbreaking cycle, "The Night I Swam" makes us relax and follow the flow without worrying where we might end. Takes us on a journey with our little main character and experience the world through his eyes. It is a bonus that we do not need any language skills neither in Japanese, nor French. Only a heart is needed.
An absolute journey-movie, made by all laws of art cinema. Silent, natural, realistic, snow-white dream of a child. The film follows closely the travels of one kid through the endless snow in the northern town of Aomori. We don't go down the journey as we might expect, as other movies do. We go with no words. We need only steps.
An absolute journey-movie, made by all laws of art cinema. Silent, natural, realistic, snow-white dream of a child. The film follows closely the travels of one kid through the endless snow in the northern town of Aomori. We don't go down the journey as we might expect, as other movies do. We go with no words. We need only steps.
This is a movie that we could spend hours analyzing and trying to figure out. Everyone can find something unique and many things to think about. At the same time, the movie can be enjoyed by absolutely shutting down the logic. By just going with the flow. For me, the first method is easier so it came naturally to ask myself many questions as for why the only musical piece that we can sporadically hear is "Spring" by Vivaldi and why only in specific scenes? Why was that camera static during the whole movie but moved just 2 or 3 times, was it at random? Was it by design that the little boy was constantly surrounded by water in different forms and shapes - his fish figurines and pictures, the drawing, the snow, the river, the fish market? Truth is - it doesn't matter what was on purpose.
It is very hard for adults to peek into the little man's mind and understand what is driving him to go to such extents. The little runaway carries an important drawing that he has to show to his father. The journey is dangerous and even risky at times but he never gives up. Many obstacles await him before he gets to his destination - the fish market. He is taken by surprise there - the market is already closed and everything around is completely empty. No people. Right at that moment, the fatigue takes its toll on the kid. He has to finally sleep. The Odyssey of the little man is shown through three silent parts - "The Drawing", "The Fish Market" and "The Long Sleep".
For Cineuropa Damien Manivel says: "Before shooting the film, we talked a lot about what kind of feelings we would like to evoke. And then we started figuring out how to achieve that effect. But sometimes, or even most of the time, it was Takara himself who would come up with some new ideas, completely changing what we previously had in mind. And we loved it!"
If you are looking for action and dynamics, better look elsewhere! If you decide tho that you need a bit of silence and calmness, you can safely trust "The Night I Swam"!
"The Night I Swam" during Sofia Film Fest
Статията на български език - тук.
It is very hard for adults to peek into the little man's mind and understand what is driving him to go to such extents. The little runaway carries an important drawing that he has to show to his father. The journey is dangerous and even risky at times but he never gives up. Many obstacles await him before he gets to his destination - the fish market. He is taken by surprise there - the market is already closed and everything around is completely empty. No people. Right at that moment, the fatigue takes its toll on the kid. He has to finally sleep. The Odyssey of the little man is shown through three silent parts - "The Drawing", "The Fish Market" and "The Long Sleep".
For Cineuropa Damien Manivel says: "Before shooting the film, we talked a lot about what kind of feelings we would like to evoke. And then we started figuring out how to achieve that effect. But sometimes, or even most of the time, it was Takara himself who would come up with some new ideas, completely changing what we previously had in mind. And we loved it!"
If you are looking for action and dynamics, better look elsewhere! If you decide tho that you need a bit of silence and calmness, you can safely trust "The Night I Swam"!
"The Night I Swam" during Sofia Film Fest
Статията на български език - тук.
Author: Lilia Bozhinova and Maria Simeonova
Translated by Lilia Bozhinova
Translated by Lilia Bozhinova