A few days before Finland pulls out of World War II, Veiko, a Finnish sniper, is denounced by his comrades for a being a pacifist and a reluctant fighter. While a Russian officer, Ivan, is accused by his army of being a traitor. As punishment, Veiko is shackled to a rock and forced to wear a German uniform, knowing full well that Russian soldiers have orders to shoot Germans on sight. While Ivan is sent off to face certain death at the hands of his own countrymen. Both men escape their fate and they cross paths, where a woman farmer, who speaks neither of their languages, cares for them while they demonstrate their deep fear mistrust for one another.
Starring: Anni-Christina Juuso, Ville Haapasalo, More
Director: Aleksandr Rogozhkin
Category: Foreign Language & Int’l
Format: Widescreen, More
Language: Russian
Subtitles: English
When you rent this movie at your video store, or get it from Netflix, ignore the description on the sleeve. It’s is not even close, which is often the case! The one you read above is my adaptation of it. That’s one of the reasons that I love being a subscriber to Netflix because I can preview so many of these movies on line before I have them sent!
First off! Ladies, you’ll love this, and men pay attention! The lead in this movie is not just a strong, independent, resourceful and beautiful, woman. She’s purely woman, rather than a woman simply playing a typical and fiery male role. The approach regularly applied by American, big studio, film makers. ….This film is Russian.
This power of this film, for seekers, lies in the way it brilliantly and eloquently demonstrates what I believe to be the top 3, key concepts, for personal growth and understanding. Ready? Number one, it shows us the power of love, as the cornerstone of one’s personal foundation. The cornerstone is what I call the come from. Number two, is the clear example of the result when the limiting, destructive and blinding nature of fear dominates the personal come from. The number three demonstration is, the power of belief, in that it has nothing to do with truth in it’s traditionally recognized form, which so often requires some agreement! With belief, it’s personal, and agreement isn’t necessary! The nature of belief transcends truth, in that the belief alone is enough to create a beautiful and satisfying reality.
A soft whisper toward a realization that, perhaps one can even choose to believe something, just to create that which they need or want!
The reason that this is so beautifully stated in this film is that the woman is not choosing to believe differently than her guests. It’s simply that her, come from, of love, rather than fear or mistrust, generates belief that manifests a very fulfilling reality for her! In spite of soldiers having killed her husband 4 years earlier, she’s still guided by her come from, which is love. A native of a land, torn apart by war, she still manages to live a simple, connected, and beautiful life, while remaining fully conscious and accepting of the hardships associated with it.
There are 3 languages spoken in this film (over English subtitles), and each character only understands his/her own, preventing any of our characters from truly knowing what the others believe or represent. So, as the omniscient viewer, you’ll find yourself willing them to understand one another as the Russian believes the Finn is a German because of the uniform he had been forced to wear. And the Finn sees the hatred in the Russians eyes so is afraid to let his guard down long enough to find a path (without language) to understanding and détente. All this in stark cinematic comparison, to our beautiful farmer, and her ways, as they all interact.
A final glimpse of a difference between truth and belief is given at the end. With a hint that an inheritance of a beautiful reality can be as easily passed on as one that is dark and tragic. ….and from this writers belief, with a greater chance of evolutionary survival! Don’t miss this one. There is so much here, and I’ve only scratched the surface!
Remember, you are what you watch! Mark Firehammer
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