http://youtu.be/N5IjInYNw3A

The film explores upon treaded waters in not only film but also written literature – discrimination, particularly racial and religious discrimination.

It chronicles the story of an American man, who becomes trapped in an elevator with a Muslim woman wearing a “burqa”. All the while they are in the elevator, the man realizes how small the world. They both commit almost no contact with each other, apart from the seldom eye-to-eye until the man gets injured. The woman, at first, hesitates whether to help or not, but eventually removes to burqa to bandage the man’s wound. The burqa signifies religion, and its removal showed compassion but also a violation of their rituals.

 The film is a good example of all the right things coming together in a film. Even with some aspects not shown, the film was a success and justifies its purpose.

The characters, unlike in most films, had hardly any dialogue. It would normally be a bit of a downside because we commonly communicate through words, and people expect that of a film. But ultimately, the absence of dialogue did not matter. The message was still clearly conveyed through other ways of conveying a message like body language. eye contact and reaction of the characters that was somehow different. The use of silence in the film somehow justifies how these characters were view each other; they were aliens to each other.

The cinematography and directing was striking. It was rich in its simplicity and delicate. mimicking what it would be like inside an actual elevator as if this can happen to anyone out there. The camera positioning showed us close-up shots of the characters, showing every nook and cranny possibly hiding emotion. The lighting was soft and created shadows that in turn created depth in an otherwise simple picture. It did not move to any impossible angles, but instead, it allowed us to see from a seemingly first hand perspective.

The film’s productions like the music, background, and costumes, were incredibly appropriate for the role and direction the film portrays. While the simplicity of the film splits its audience to extremes, it achieves its purpose of delivering a powerful social message.

Then we go to the acting and the characterization, the acting was sublime. When the actors were having their moments, you can see the emotion in their eyes – doubt, guilt, or fear.  The characters reached a certain turning point in the film, their preconception of each other changed. As in a short story, they had been illuminated, thus their development was also thought out well. The acting delivered the message through its weirdness and the tension it creates.

The film justifies its purpose through its title and creation, “Behind the Walls”, which attempts to see something beyond the surface, beyond stereotypes and discrimination. That behind those walls, exists people who are capable of compassion that could overcome fear and religion, that could overcome any difference.

http://ilovephilippines10.weebly.com/uploads/7/8/4/9/7849718/3112265.jpg?222

This is my example of photography as a rape because the minority woman exhibits an emotionless smile. Her smile looks like a “forced” one, maybe because the photographer made a lot of persuasions, and the woman, as a sign of hospitality, flashed a smile. Her “fake” smile meant (for me) that she didn’t  know what to express because the photographer might have been in a hurry to take her picture. Or it might be because she was not really happy about her picture being taken. She allowed her picture to be taken because of hospitality, as  I have said earlier, or because she wanted the photographer to leave her immediately. Her smile proves this.

I don’t know if this is the real intention of the site http://ilovephilippines10.weebly.com/ since it propagates our history and culture (note the ilovephilippines). I made this as my example of photography as a form of rape because her smile looks restrained.

This essay http://www.inspirationalessay.com/time_alone_inspirational_essay.htm is very interesting for me because it defines having “time alone” like my answer to friends who ask me why I am a loner. In addition, the essay talks about the importance of time alone for the betterment of one’s self and other areas in our life.

I agree with the essay about the importance of time alone. One, having time to be alone is a time for you to define yourself. People can tell who you are but in their perspective. It is up to you on how you take it. But if you know yourself  (achieved by having time to be alone), you know what to believe in or not. Second, not having time to be alone is the cause of being the true loser. You are your lifetime friend and a friend knows almost all things about you. If your lifetime companion doesn’t know about you, then no one will back up your self-description. Third, it is your responsibility to have time for yourself. Since it is your right to be recognized, it is your duty to make yourself known- and this starts with your own self. Time for being alone should be respected, and this is one of the parts I like in the essay. If a person wants to be alone, respect it. In the same way, if you want your time for yourself to be respected, make them understand.

In short, what the essay points out is that you are responsible for yourself and this is properly exercised if you know yourself by having time alone — and that is what I really like about the essay and which is pertinent to college life.

This essay http://www.inspirationalessay.com/time_alone_inspirational_essay.htm is very interesting. It defines having “time alone” like my answer to friends who ask me why I am a loner.

Having time alone is a very rare action people do. Just as the essay says, people, most especially teenagers believe that when they are alone, they are incomplete. This is due to the fact that society dictates that people must come in pairs or groups. Very common will you see couples grasping each other’s body, barkadas walking on the sidewalk and seem to dominate the place while those who walk alone seem serious or upset. Surely, majority symbolizes strength and power and a person who stands or walks alone is a loser(since no one supports him). But being alone is not synonymous to being a loser. Being alone is more of a manifestation of strength because in our modern times,it takes a great deal of courage and determination for a person to do that. Being alone means completeness of one’s personhood. Most people cling to other people because they really are incomplete, as the essay states. To be able to “complete” one’s self, one needs to know himself, and to know one’s self, one needs to be alone. And this is where the hard part comes.

I remember our seniors’ retreat last year. Many were crying because they realized their “incompleteness” and shortcomings, and during this retreat, we were required to meditate on our own. Yes, I could say that being alone could be sad at times. But if one uses this for reflecting on his/her life, one develops a philosophical thinking about him/herself. Having time alone could also be difficult because of the relationships one has for he/she is bound by partner or friend/s. Missing the fun is regrettable, but missing a part of one’s personhood is a nightmare that would haunt a person for life. For this statement, I quote the lines from the essay “You alone can decide who you are.  You alone might be able to see with more clarity.”

The essay is truly inspiring. Please read it and learn the importance of time alone, not only for you but also for your relationships.

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