Just the Wind

Benedek Fliegauf's "Just the Wind" has divided its audience to lovers and haters. Some accuse the film for demagogy or creating black and white illusions while others praise the director's style and social sensibility. In all its simplicity, "Just the Wind" tells what happens to a Romani family during one ordinary day: the mother works as a cleaner in two shift works, her daughter gets bored at school bench, and her son skips school, building a safe house in the woods. The only way out seems to be the father of the family who already lives in Canada. The children are anxiously waiting for them to move, although there is really no reason to believe why things would be any better on the other side of the globe.

The film begins with morning sunlight sparkling through treetops into dim space. In fact, images of dawn, fields, woods, water and dusk do reign the visual world of the film. To my mind, it is astonishing how Fliegauf has managed to make everyday realism so utterly beautiful. There is even something neo-realist in the camera-work. But as the film dazzles with its aesthetics it also horrifies with its content.

The gloomy, dark-themed mood of "Just the Wind" isn't, however, merely due to the shadow cast on the remote village by racist murders but also a consequence of efficient sound design and long takes that are framed in a distressingly narrow fashion. With his documentary-like approach Fliegauf not only highlights the authenticity of the milieu (each scene takes place in natural setting and lighting) but also the fact that this has actually happened. In addition, the film manages to create such a tension which keeps in its grip and coerces the viewer into identifying with the bleak reality portrayed. The viewer must identify with the characters and experience, for an hour and a half, what they go through every single day. This mood which exhales misery is, at times, quite hard to bear but fortunately broken down every once in a while by lyric landscape shots which are both serene and soothing.

In the cinematographic depiction, created by hand-held camera and deliberately improvised composition, nature plays an integral role. It's an active part of the drama, and especially the colors of green and yellow are continuously recorded to the spectator's consciousness. As an essential element in the film's aesthetics, nature is, however, counterpointed with architecture of degradation which enhances the emotion of the beginning of an end. People live in shattered ruins where grown-ups are practically living dead. Trash, rotten food, cast-off objects and flat coffee infiltrate through the screen to the sense organs of the viewer. In "Just the Wind" only the children are capable of brief moments of joy in this stark environment but, at the same, adult-like responsibility is constantly required.

Noteworthy is also that Fliegauf doesn't idealize the Romani people, not to the least extent. This is not a one-sided portrayal. Fliegauf depicts a certain regression of alienation -- the final stage of exclusion where people have been divided into friends and foes. After this, guns talk. In a detailed manner, the film shows how the society has itself created such conditions and furthers the worsening situation with its disregard action. Hence, the darkness of the film is directly due to social reality and the circumstances emerging from it. The film doesn't answer nor preach. It only agitates and shows. The film asks why. As ominous elements culminate, the film begins to show its true deterministic nature: how the dark-themed drama inevitably leads to an uncompromising disaster.

It's difficult to rate such a film objectively because it deals with an ongoing social issue that brings a rather bitter taste to the viewers. On the other hand, my opinion is that even the bitter taste is better than no taste at all - as it's often the case with the Hollywood type of films. In addition to that, I would recommend this film to all those who are fond of European cinema and who like to to feel something deeper while watching. If you're in search of a film that would merely entertain you, then "Just the Wind" might not be the best solution.

The thing I liked best in the film was the atmosphere. From the very beginning to the end, I constantly felt as if I was near the main characters - sensing their steps in the fields, their paths through the forest, their thoughts while being quiet, the uncomfortable fears of what might happen next. Although the film atmosphere is mostly awkward and unpleasant, it makes you feel as if you were in the Roma family's shoes. It seems more realistic than artistic, but also makes you think afterwards!

I also have to refer to another review on this site: I don't think anybody would gain a negative image about Hungary just because of watching this film. Every country has its crimes and its dark side, and let's not forget this is a Hungarian film after all. It's courageous to shoot a film about the issue that still isn't solved in a society.

Instead of portraying the Roma as a group, which would probably bring up a broader debate to the plot, the director focused on 3 individuals, making you sense their humanity. I believe this is the strongest and the most realistic message he could include. Direct political comments are left out, there are many silent parts of the film, which leaves every conclusion up to the audience.

I like arty films in which I have to think about what is really happening... Although I was a bit annoyed by the fact that the picture was mainly dark and I couldn't see many things. I assume the director wanted to express the spiritual and factual state in which Travellers live their everyday life. Nevertheless there is a certain degree of discrimination. Not a quiet one. After watching the film I felt confused not really sure what had happened. After reading the comment of the reviewer from Germany, I understood better what I've just seen. I like films where your mind is put to the test, unlike the Hollywood commercial stupid and manipulating films. I think it must have been more comprehensive though.

This movie caused a huge controversy in Hungary, and I don't understand why. Of course the integration of the gypsy minority is a big problem here, but Benedek Fliegauf's film has got nothing to say about it. The director doesn't have a message, he just portrays the life of a family, he doesn't want to deal with any issues regarding the gypsies or racism. I mean, for example Crash was able to show 6-7 sides of racism, Fliegauf doesn't even wants to show one. The Hungarians majority are racist in this movie for no reason, but in one scene, there are gypsies attacking innocent people (also for no reason), so I wouldn't say it's one sided, but the main problem is that everything happens for no reason, revealing how shallow this film is. And because there are no thoughts to fill this movie with, most of the scenes are a bit overdrawn. The lighting and the acting seems amateur, but the overall quality of the movie is good.

So by "shallow" I don't want to mean it's bad (that's why I gave it a 7 out of 10), but this movie seems dumb compared to movies like Crash or Tropa de Elite.