New Directors/New Films 2015
March 18-29, 2015
"The Tribe | Deaf Tribe" should be the hottest and coldest part of the "New Directors/New Films 2015" series that MoMA just concluded. The story takes place in a depressed boarding school for deaf teenagers in Kiev, Ukraine. The film has no dialogue, no subtitles, and no soundtrack. The advancement of the story and the communication of characters are all based on dazzling sign language expression.
Nearly half of the audience at the film screening were hearing-impaired people. It is not difficult to see their inner expectation and excitement from their enthusiastic "conversations" before the opening. I have always regarded film as the most "democratic" art form. I have never considered this issue-after the start of the sound film era, such a special group may never have the opportunity to truly appreciate "complete" films. This time, the able-bodied people showed their timidity. It can be said that "understanding depends on Mongolian", and the hearing-impaired audience must have seen more and understood more than I. This brand-new viewing experience, "audiovisual" language, is definitely the best interpretation of the theme of the "New Directors/New Films" project.
Regrettably, in my one-sided understanding, the film has wrapped a superficial and deliberate story in such a cutting-edge and powerful form. The story of the dark, tyrannical and bloody puberty of the boys and girls who went astray, only because of the deafness and dumbness strengthened the expression of the limbs and the silence of depression, there is no more. It is not that there is any problem with the anti-chicken soup, but for the violent violence is really despicable, for the tragedy of tragedy, it is really boring.
After the film ended, many hearing-impaired audiences still stayed in the hall to "discuss". From their expressions of excitement to loneliness and solemnity, I feel that the film has failed this group of people, the audience who is the easiest to win praise.
The only gratifying thing is that this film provides us with another way of thinking-in addition to the rapid technological advancement, the language of the film has more possibilities for unexpected innovation. Only next time, no matter how new or great the gimmick is, the script will have to be excellent.
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