Mindenki

This beautiful short film has it ALL--a child's point of view, gorgeous music, great cinematography, brilliant and beautiful actors and a surprise ending. It is like reading a short story by O. Henry and watching all the characters unfold while feeling great attachment for some and disdain for others. I have never seen a Hungarian film prior to this one and "Mindenki aka Sing" was certainly a wonderful introduction. It is a film that I'd be willing to watch again and that everyone should experience at least once.

First the positive: kudos for the actors.

Now the bad: everything else. We should believe none, not any of the juries, any of the parents, neither the members of the choir noticed any problem. Neither why the teacher don't even try to close the gaps. The connections between the characters are entirely artificial. And we should believe the kids, who segregated themselves so much they have an absolutely strict order where to sit when (even during recess), and despite there is free space they ostracize a student by refusing to sit there - these kids supposedly can cooperate to any noble purpose.

If we'd go into details the problems would just accumulate. I suggest leave this thing alone.

And I am a hungarian. Well, not according to the Prime Law - which never had the proper authorization -, which strips everyone not Christian their citizenship, so I assume my opinion doesn't matter there.

In this list I usually review feature length movies, that is films with a duration of at least one hour. Exceptions to this rule are relatively rare. Examples are "The bespoke overcoat" (1955, Jack Clayton) and "Vincent" (1982, Tim Burton).

The Hungarian short "Sing" is another exception. Apart from being short (25 minutes) it is also meant as a children's movie. This is however not to be taken very literally. I saw the film from 22:15 - 22:40 PM, not children's prime time.

The film is about a girl that has recently moved to a new elementary school . She is somewhat uncertain and to make friends she joints the school choir.

I will not further elaborate on the plot. Let is suffice that the plot contains some ethical choices (to be honest versus to be successful) and some life experiences (best intentions causing serious (psychological) injuries. Both are viewed from the perspective of both children and adults.

In 2017 the film rightly won an Oscar in the category Best Live Action Short film.

This was a charming piece overall. The young girls gave exceptional performances and the writing did exemplify competence in film storytelling. All of the moments worked except for what happens in the end. Inventive way of dealing with the problem of exclusion but it sends the message that everyone should be accepted. For example, a basketball team would now have to accept anyone who goes out for the team and let them play merely because they show up. Forget whether they can play or not, like it used to be, they just have to show up. This is pretty much what the film is telling us and when you see it you will know what I mean.

"Mindenki" is a captivating and thought-provoking short film that explores the themes of conformity and individuality within a children's choir. The film's strength lies in its powerful performances, particularly from the young actors who portray the students. Their talent and emotional depth bring authenticity to the story. The music in the film is beautifully composed and adds to the overall atmosphere. However, one weakness of the film is its limited runtime, which leaves some aspects of the narrative feeling underdeveloped. Additionally, the cinematography, while visually pleasing, could have been more dynamic to enhance the storytelling. Overall, "Mindenki" is a poignant and impactful short film that raises important questions about identity and the pressure to conform. It's definitely worth a watch for its strong performances and thought-provoking subject matter.