The Strangers' Case

In my duties as Director of the Jury for the Regina International Film Festival, I write notes on the films in competition. This is an expansion on my juror notes. The 15 member jury of established and talented film makers and artists were unanimous in stating this is an extraordinary film, and several used the word 'masterpiece'.

I would like a statue of Captain Stavros Salomon to be raised on the south coast of Lesvos, facing south east, towards Izmir and beyond to Syria. Although only a fictional character from the mind of Brandt Andersen, Constantine Markoulakis's performance of him reaches through the fabric of reality to become the stuff that mythology is made from. I have never seen a better or more moving performance of heroism and selflessness in my life. It is a benchmark performance, like Buster Keaton in The General, Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver, or Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice. And yet, it is only marginally noteworthy in an ensemble where every single performance should be eligible for an Oscar.

As of this writing, the film is sweeping every award in every category in every Festival it is entered in. And yet, there is no buzz about it, virtually no press on it, and no social media on it. The director, instead of hitting the circuit to drum up some news, went to Jordan to coordinate aid drops into Gaza. He is a true, real life, activist, who just happens to be the best new film maker to arrive since Spielberg. If this film disappears unnoticed and undistributed, it would be as if The Beatles released Hey Jude, and no radio station ever played it.

I hope this film enters the canon and takes its place on the greatest films of all time lists. I hope documentaries are made about its making. I hope every actor in it becomes a star. I hope it is studied in every film school, for each department, from hair and make up to set dec to sound mix, can be compared to the best in any film ever made. I hope the writer and director Brandt Andersen is recognized as one of the great auteurs of all time. I hope every student of film or acting watches this film repeatedly, to examine to the tiniest detail why it is so good, and how it could be so good on a budget though not stated, probably was equivalent to the catering budget on the average Hollywood flick.

Finally, the film evokes an empathic response that is so strong, it will change peoples lives, which is exactly the stated intention of the film maker. I believe it could probably be used scientifically, to accurately predict psychopathy, in anyone unmoved. It will certainly out those who agree that refugees are all criminals, terrorists, and cowards deserting the task of rebuilding their countries, that agreement exposing nothing less than their 'mountainous inhumanity'.

There were standing ovations and lots of tears at the world premiere tonight at Berlinale Film Festival.

Set in Aleppo, in the middle of the war in Syria, the surgeon Amira tries to save lifes among constant attacks. Throughout the movie, we follow her and her daughter and get to know five different families whose lives are all intertwined with each other. The director Brandt Andersen, who has worked in refugee camps in Syria, Jordan and Turkey among others, has created a dramatic story with four different perspectives on war and seeking refuge that deeply touched me and left a mark on me.

In times like these, were right-wing parties and hate against migrants and refugees are uprising all over Europe (again), this movie is so important as it shows without telling that it is not the refugees that are at fault, not the soldiers, neither the traffickers. But the goverments that create the need to leave. I dearly wish for The Stranger's case to be awarded with the golden bear as it will help many people to change their perspective and to give a voice to all the people who apparently are "strangers". 10/10.

So dark. The cinematography was incredible. Acting was absolutely gripping.

At times it was difficult to watch, but that's the purpose of the film. The antagonist is war and it's inescapable reach. Families being torn apart, even over a dinner argument of the 'right' way to deal with refugees.

Inspiring film that feels otherworldly from the short-minded perspective of someone living in the United States of America. Constant reminder that this is reality for so many families.

It was a raw, absolutely riveting, and eye opening movie viewing experience. All around a 10/10 and highly recommend anyone to watch with the expectation of leaving the theater differently than you came in.