Categories: cinema
Date: 22 September 2008 10:24:20
As It Is in Heaven, a most wonderful movie I only saw last night. It had an amazing run in Sydney, having a run of 83 weeks at one cinema, after it was snubbed by other cinemas; according to Wikipedia, "It is still running in Lucerne (Switzerland), for a record breaking 123 weeks." I missed it in cinemas here, but can now see why it has such an appeal.
The film concerns a successful international conductor whose aspiration in life is to create music that will open the hearts of those who hear and those who make it. After suffering a heart attack on stage at the end of a performance, he retires to the village where he endured a terrible childhood of bullying. He assists the local church choir and the minister of the parish offers him the position of cantor. The film continues as issues of love, loss, joy, sadness, conflict and all emotions and experiences in-between, as well as the search and journey for the music that opens people's hearts. More than that even: the movement through life to where your dreams and hopes are fulfilled, and where you have helped others to reach their dreams and to express themselves. Superb performances, moving music and song, and a wonderful message make this a simply amazing and wondrous film.
A very moving moment from the movie below [unfortunately the first part is not in the clip, so it begins already into the song]; I think you do have to see the movie for the full impact; suffice it to say the woman singing has been through a great deal and has been, and is, struggling to find herself -- and her "voice" -- in a sad and oppressive situation; furthermore it is simply a superb song, and she [Helen Sjöholm] has a most beautiful voice:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_B8-oxUiAc[/youtube]