Children definitely from heaven


Watched a remarkable movie on the weekend. The kind that lingers with you long after the final credits have rolled. It didn't even have any special effects or mind blowing action sequences. But it did hit home.

Children of heaven is the story of two young Iranian children who's world revolves around the simple persuits of life. Nine-year-old Ali and his younger sister Zahra realise that their parents are struggling to survive. Their simple world is devoid of cell phones, Ipods and even coloured television.

In his attempt to help his mother with the groceries, Ali manages to misplace Zahra's shoes, her only pair to wear to school. Ali tries in vain to find the missing shoes but is left with the only option of offering his own sneakers to his sister. Though the shoes are too big for Zahra, she too has no other choice but to wear them. The siblings don't just share the shoes every day, they also share the anxiety of each other as Zahra rushes to get home in time to offer her brother the sneakers so he can in turn make it to school on time.

Ali decides to take part in a school race simply because the third prize is a new pair of shoes. Unfortunately he wins the first place in the race and the tragedy is that he doesn't get a new pair of sneakers for his sister. The film ends on a positive note as the children's father stops by the shoe store to buy new shoes for his children.

With raw emotion, the leading cast of the film make you forget how young they really are. Zahra doesn't seem more than seven but she is seen taking care of a baby and washing the dishes as her bed ridden mother is ill with a slipped disc.

With earnest children such as these, what more could a parent want? The film offers a universal perspective for those of us who sometimes don't give children the credit they are due.

Singer Celine Dion made an interesting comment about children when asked if her recent miscarriage is taking a toll on her marriage. She said something like, 'Lets not put the pressure on children to hold a marriage together.' A few days ago a tantrik in my country managed to convince a childless couple that they would be able to conceive if they sacrificed 11 children to God. Five innocent lives were lost in this disgusting and brutal way before the police intervened.

Children don't turn out the way they do by accident. Realising this and acting on it, will make all the difference.


Still image from the film, courtesy totalfilm.com

Comments

  1. Great writing!!!
    Love
    Your sis
    Simona

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Glenn. Tera blog ka kya haal hai?

    ReplyDelete
  3. http://www.myexprezzionz.blogspot.com/.

    Can't find enough time to write...:(

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey, i have seen this movie too long back infact, yes it does strike a deep chord with you.
    Very subtle yet hard hitting emotions being played out by the characters...

    Liked the review,
    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you Rashmi. Only just viewed ur comments. So happy to hear from someone from apna Bombay. (Glenn u too included).

    ReplyDelete

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