The Road Home (1999)

The Road Home (imdb rating 7.8) tells the story of a young man who goes back to his village after his father's death. The movie starts in black and white. Returning to his village on a cold winter day, this young man suddenly finds himself in the funeral preparations that his mother is trying to organize for his father. We soon learn that his father came to this village as a teacher many years ago and that he was very popular among the people of the village. His mother wants his father's last journey to be spectacular and befitting him. While the funeral preparations are continuing, the film suddenly takes us back to the past and the black and white image suddenly becomes colorful.

In the next segment of the movie, we witness the love story between a village teacher and a village girl. This story actually feels so familiar to us as we watch it, it's as if it's describing a small village in any part of the world. For example, the village teacher is welcomed by all the villagers at the entrance of the village, all the people join hands in building the school building, the villagers prepare a meal for the young teacher, and invite them to their homes for dinner, one by one.

Also, the love between two young people is so naive, so sincere. Although they have only met a few times, a great love blossoms between them. When the young teacher leaves the village for some political reasons, the young girl waits for months at the entrance of the village for the day the teacher would return. Because she stays in the cold for hours, she falls into bed and gets sick. At the end of the film, we return to the present day and the film becomes black and white again. The film ends with a magnificent funeral ceremony under the snow, on the backs of hundreds of people.

While watching these and similar movies, I am always surprised by how similar Eastern cultures are to each other. Actually, I must say that I am more than surprised. Because, as I sail towards different cultures, I see that we can have the same feelings and thoughts even if they are thousands of miles away from us. Imagine how close and similar the experiences in an ordinary village in China, which is governed by a regime quite different from ours, are to us. I believe in the benefits of such initiatives for different societies to better understand each other, and I recommend you not to miss this movie if you have the opportunity. The more information about the movie can be found here. 

Bicycle Thieves (1948)

Bicycle Thieves (imbd rating 8.3) is an Italian masterpiece. It's filmed during those years when black and white movies were the only option. It is a masterpiece that takes us back to those years with its realistic narrative, makes us question our values about humanity and life, and surprises us especially with its final scene. 

It is a film that sheds light on a period by revealing both the economic and social life of post-war Italy in all its nakedness. Women carrying buckets of water from the street fountain, men waiting for work in the labor market, people pushing each other to get a seat in the bus line. This film, which moves very slowly and can be boring at times in today's fast pace, has an important place in the history of cinema due to the scenes it presents from the daily life.

Coming back to the movie, it tells the story of a man trying to find a job despite the impossibilities  mentioned above. Antonio, who needs a bicycle to work, starts to search for his bicycle when it is stolen, by mobilizing the people around him and turning the whole of Rome upside down. However, looking for a bicycle in a huge city will not be as easy as you think. The film is worth watching for its emphasis on human values, reminding us of the value of what we have, and, as I mentioned above, taking us to a period of Europe. More information about the movie can be found here.

Shape of the Moon (2004)

Although the producers of this movie are from the Netherlands, the story takes place in Indonesia. Its original name is "Stand van de Maan" and it has an imdb rating of 7.4. This documentary film reflects the daily life of a Christian family living in Indonesia, which has the world's largest Muslim population. This film gives viewers a very good idea of learning what it means to be a minority in a society where the majority religion is felt in every aspect of daily life. The film opens with anti-Bush slogans from a group marching against America in Jakarta. Then, the lens focuses on the prayers performed in the mosques and an old uncle who cannot control his tears while praying for Iraq.

In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, religious motifs often come into play to help us understand how dominant or important religion is in daily life. For example, a young man collecting money on behalf of a mosque, a group marching at midnight chanting hymns, people praying collectively at the train station, a mosque imam explaining that a marriage other than a religious one will not be an official marriage. In addition to these, the announcement of food distribution to those left homeless in the neighborhood fire was made from mosques, the wedding was held in the mosque and announced to the surrounding area via loudspeakers. It is noteworthy that it shows how intertwined social life is.

After this picture becomes clear in our minds, the film invites us to become guests to a Christian family's house. A cross and a painting of Jesus and Mary on the wall can be the only indicators that the family is not Muslim. Apart from those, we witness the intertwining cultures such as entering a house without shoes and children kissing the hands of adults. The film (or documentary) continues with the family's eldest son converting to Islam so that he can marry a Muslim girl. The viewers witness the wedding ceremony which takes place afterwards, and remarkable scenes from the daily lives of ordinary people. 

As we get closer to the end, there are a few things we remember about Indonesia: The place of religious elements in people's daily lives as well as the poverty of the people and the fact that despite all of these struggles, life continues. So much so that we even witness people traveling on the roof of the trains because they cannot find a seat in the overcrowded trains. If you want to learn more about this country, the way they live and what is feels like to be a minority in a very religious country, I simply recommend you watch this movie.

Not One Less (1999)

This time, I would like to recommend a rare find Chinese movie (imdb 7.7 and MPA rating is G) This production, which caught my attention because the story is about a young (very young) teacher who is set on a journey to bring back one of her students to school. In this movie, you will firsthand witness the divide between Eastern and Western cultures in the name of sacrifice and dedication. 

Wei is a 13-year-old young girl. When the teacher of the neighboring village goes on a leave for a month, she finds herself as the substitute teacher. However, it is not that easy to teach in this this school which consists of only one classroom with multiple grade levels. Before leaving, the other teacher advises her to use the 28 pieces of chalk, which he counted one by one which is equal to one piece of chalk per day during his absence. Reminding that they are a poor school and have no materials other than chalk. He also strictly warns that he does not want to find even one of the children missing when he returns.

A few days later, the headman of the village discovers that one of the children is a fast runner. He convinces some athletics coaches to take the child to the city, but our young substitute teacher is not very pleased with this idea. She wants to keep her promise to the teacher by making sure that none of the kids are missing. Even though she hides the child at one end of the village, she cannot stop him from leaving.

Another day, he learns that the child of a poor family also goes to the city to work and earn money. Then she goes to the city and tries to find the child. Of course, this job is not as easy as we think. First she has to find money for the bus but she has to work for it. Even if she goes to the city, looking for a missing child in a big city is a difficult task for a 13 year old girl. However, she is very dedicated to her mission and she tries everything including hanging flyers on the walls and even knocking at the door of a national TV station.

If you want to watch the warmth of the village people and the story of faithful teachers who create miracles in poverty, do not miss this movie. You may find more details about this movie here and the original title of the movie is Yi ge dou bu neng shao.

The Butterfly (2002)

I was inevitably curious about this movie, mostly because it has a high rating on imdb (7.2) and it's under 90 minutes in length. To be honest with you, I'm a bit prejudiced against French movies. Even movies that are called family movies can sometimes contain a few inappropriate scenes or swear words. But this time, it wasn't what I expected. Although it does not have a strong message, it can be watched with the family.

The film consists of dialogues between an old butterfly collector and a nine-year-old little girl. The film, which occasionally touches on belief in God, love, infidelity and family relationships, can also connect two distinct generations. While the old man advises us to appreciate our loved ones through the pain of his son, who he lost at a young age, the little girl reminds us how difficult it is to live without parents.

The film occasionally touches on issues such as abortion and equality, but they are not poking these issues into your eyes. For example, when the little girl says that she was born after her mother found out that she was late for an abortion, it causes us to experience the suffering of aborted fetuses that are 'Nothing'. The old man casually says that the ideas of equality in the world are nothing but baloney, and that it will be enough to see the existence of rich and poor people to understand this.

Although it has some limitations in its translation into English, the film is worth watching as it provides an enjoyable hour and takes us away to the natural beauties of France. The original title of the movie is Le Papillon and you can find the imdb link here. 

The Story of the Weeping Camel (2003)

I would like to tell you about a Mongolian movie (imbd rating: 7.4). In fact, this work is a German production and it is a documentary film that takes place in Mongolia which presents a slice of real life. The actors have already played their real-life roles. The film is based on a simple story, as it is somewhat of a documentary. It is about the rejection of a newly born camel by its mother in the Gobi deserts of Mongolia and the village people's attempts to solve this problem.

Since we are mostly presented with the daily life of the Mongolian people, the story actually seems to be somewhat in the background. After all, the adventures of camels in the middle of a desert is not very interesting for a movie. The financial difficulties of the local people living in tents, the fact that they have to cross a huge desert to reach the nearest town, and the fact that they still cannot benefit from the blessings of modern life such as electricity and television are also remembered as details that need to be underlined.

In this movie you will have the opportunity to take a closer look at the life in the old times. The rugs hanging on the walls and the tents where three generations lived together are an indication that these people are still keeping their traditions alive.They benefit from the meat, milk and wool of their camels which is their only livestock and this movie puts the relationship of the humans and the animals in the centre.  

As a result, it may be an interesting choice if you want to spend one and a half hours by watching a documentary film and looking at the daily life of a society that lives far, far away from us. The original original title of the film is Die Geschicte vom weinenden Kamel and you can find it's imbd link here. 

Family Friendly International Movies

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Ten years ago, it was very difficult to find suitable movies for school age children. Thanks to the growing number of streaming services, there are so many options now. I have always appreciated the movies in different languages because they provide you a different perspective. I believe the children should be aware of the life on other parts of the world. Watching films from different countries provide a unique perspective which is hard to obtain about a culture or a place far far away. Over the years, I have compiled a list of "family friendly" international movies and I am providing the list below with the imdb links: 

Paper Planes (Australia, 2014)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3328716/

Belle & Sebastian (2013, France)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3146360/

Like Stars on Earth (2007, India)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0986264/

Children of Heaven (1997, Iran)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118849

The Butterfly (2002, France)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329485/

Not One Less (1999, China)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0209189/

Bicycle Thieves (1948, Italy)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040522

Ramchand Pakistani (2008, Pakistan)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1095421

Red Balloon (1956, France)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048980            

Live and Become (2005)

This French film (imdb rating: 7.8) was shot by a Romanian-born director: Radu Mihăileanu. The film is about the rescue of a group of Jews caught in the conflict in Ethiopia through an operation organized by the Israeli secret service and their resettlement in Israel. Based on a true story that happened in the 80s, the film beautifully conveys to the audience the story of a Christian child who is mixed among Jews, going to Israel, and the problems he faced after being adopted. 

In addition to witnessing a historical period, the film is worth watching as it contains many clues about Ethiopian Jews, of whom we have very little idea, and from there to daily life in Israel. Even though it is a bit long, the film manages to explain with a very simple language the problems that come with being different in a society. The original title of the film is Va, Vis et Deviens and if you want to get more information about the movie, here is the imdb link and the Wikipedia page.