Babies! is a documentary by "french filmmaker Thomas Balmes who spent close to two years tracking the everyday triumphs and discoveries of four babies, hailing from the far reaches of Namibia, Mongolia, Japan, and America. The story told without a single word of narration (or much dialogue beyond giggles, cries, and coos), slides from child to child, chronicling not only their journeys from birth to walking age, but also the unique culture of parenting and community that surrounds them. (EW, May 7, 2110)Making a documentary interesting challenges even the best director, but doing so without narration is nearly unthinkable. That is the compelling nature of babies. They draw us into the wonder of their world. If you have seen the trailer, you will remember that the opening scene runs for 39 seconds. It ends with one of the babies biting his friend. Compelling.
To know me is to know that I love people and that a large portion of that love is directed toward children. I am blessed with six of the coolest nieces and nephews on the planet, and their lives and love have added to my life beyond measure. But even before I became an aunt I loved children. The innocence. The pure receptivity of love. The freedom of joy. It's contagious. We need children in our lives to remind us of the image of God within us. The older we get and the more broken we get we find ways to mask that image. What a better way to understand the unity and diversity of God than to see the breadth of his creation in its truest form across four different cultures?
Mark my words, it will win best documentary next year. It may win best foreign film. This is a movie ready to rock the world. It is only showing in 500 theaters. Find one near you. Go! Support a film that is about something of value, even if it never mentions the name of Jesus. What better way to celebrate the image of God within us?
http://www.focusfeatures.com/focusfeatures/film/babies/overview
Soundtrack: Jesus Loves Me
No comments:
Post a Comment