It is said that everything in a child's life begins with a game. Children's innocence is a powerful weapon, but it is also their weakness. Many stories have been woven about innate talents, if those talents are not common, we call the possessors of those virtues or curses; it depends on from which point of view you look at it.
Four children in their imaginary world coexist with the real one. One of them is autistic, and her younger sister is 9 years old, the other two are neighbours. The neighbour girl has the talent to understand the autistic girl, she talks to her and feels what is happening to her. The neighbour boy lives alone with his mother. The union of the four of them arouses disagreements about the boy's attitude.
Anna, the autistic girl, is a special child. Her mind works differently, and although some see her as an enigma, her autism is her greatest strength. She can uniquely perceive the world. Bright lights, subtle sounds and people's emotions intertwine in her mind, forming a tapestry of sensations. She is often immersed in her inner universe, where words are colours and gestures are melodies.
Bea, Anna's younger sister. She is Anna's protector, although she does not share her gift, her love for her sister is unwavering. Bea is the voice that tries to translate the world for Anna, who explains to him that red is passion and blue is calm. Together, they form an impenetrable team, a sisterly alliance that transcends words.
Celly, the girl next door. She is curious and observant. But her gift is more subtle, she can already hear the thoughts of others. Not in an invasive way, but as a distant echo. When Anna and Bea talk, Celly hears their words and also the emotions that accompany them. She knows that Anna is overwhelmed by the noise of the world and that Bea is constantly worried about her sister.
Demian, the neighbour boy. His power is more dangerous. He can influence the minds of others, and manipulate their desires and fears. But Demian does not use his gift for good. Instead of healing, he corrupts, instead of uniting, he hurts others. Demian sees others as pieces in his game, and his goal is chaos.
The script of this film, directed by Eskil Vogt; known as the director of ‘Blind’ and screenwriter of ‘The Worst Person in the World’ and ‘Thelma’, reminds us that gifts, even the most extraordinary ones, can be dangerous if they stray into darkness. Parents, often busy with their own lives, can miss the signs. But it also teaches us that covenant, love and understanding can overcome even the darkest powers.
Through the ‘paranormal’ he gives the idea that our genetic particularities make us more capable and give us a certain degree of exclusivity in abilities. It also popularises a bit the use of mediums in the new generations, to talk to ‘people who are not there’, as a natural part of the evolution of humanity, something very widespread nowadays. It shows us the amoral and disturbing world of children. All terror is more terrifying when children are the protagonists. A classic is Henry James' Another Turn of the Screw. Or Stephen King's It. Freud called them ‘perverse polymorphs’ for a reason. In this film, it is disturbing how much can happen without the naive adults realising it.
The evil and innocence of children are exposed in all its ambiguity and rawness. As many interpretations as opinions (hence its value). The fate of the world is in the hands of complex minors, who are capable of evolving, thinking, eventually distinguishing right from wrong on their own, and all the while living their lives in diverse environments. The girls from a loving home save the day, while those from complicated backgrounds, for one reason or another, end up as victims. A fictional story that any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental.
In particular, I would summarise the teachings of this supernatural film under the following points:
We all have innate gifts and abilities. Whether it is the ability to influence others, to listen or to understand, we must use them responsibly. Let us not underestimate the impact our actions can have on others.
Typically, we judge people by their appearance or superficial behaviour. In the story, Anna is autistic, but her gift is extraordinary. We must remember that we all have our own unique stories and abilities.
Demian represents the dark side of us all. Sometimes, our negative thoughts or impulses can lead us down dangerous paths. Recognising and facing that darkness is crucial.
𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗺𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺. 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁… 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀.
I invite you, friend @mllg, friend @irvinc and @atreyuserver, to expose a Favourite Supernatural Film, following the guidelines of the organised challenge.
Cine TV Contest #110 — Favourite Supernatural Film
CREDITS:
Images: all images are of public holding and are taken from the same videos that were published in this post.
Title: CoolText
All assembly was done with Microsoft Office 365 Pro 2023 PowerPoint on Windows 11 Pro.
