Bardo
Bardo
Directed by Rolf Gunnar Hjalmarsson | Review by Riya Saha
When we step back and look at who we are and how we got here, it is not surprising that we all had pain in our life. If we know how to deal with problems and then survive, it only makes us stronger. Life is a journey full of happiness and sorrow. On the other hand, the human mind can sustain any circumstances. We cannot ignore the fact that we all have the amazing ability to reflect on ourselves and our choices. Similarly, ‘Bardo’ is a film that portrays the human ability to sustain various circumstances in life. Though there are various genres of independent cinema, creating a perfect film is really time taking and requires talent. I felt grateful for reviewing this film which deals with power and passion in facing difficult situations in our lives and overcoming them.
The film is surely motivational and because it cannot be understood in one take, you need to watch it over again. Dealing and coping with problems is well-portrayed through the gestures in ‘Bardo’. In fact, there are many cognitive, emotional, and behavioral steps that can help in generating energy in our mind. This, in turn, helps us to form new ideas and give us mental and physical strength to face difficult situations. Rolf Gunnar Hjalmarsson’s reliance on not using voice in his film ‘Bardo’ is apparently successful because it made his performance more spontaneous. You can't really argue with the end result. Shot in black and white, every scene clearly dictates the unique strength of human beings. Running away and ignoring your problems is one thing. Detaching ourselves from the problems and facing them is another. But fighting against it, accepting the storm as a part of the nature of life is the ultimate truth. This truth generates energy and gives us new ideas to overcome the gloomy and depressed times. ‘Bardo’ doesn’t only have a great mixture of creativity but it also has a seamless and smooth way of storytelling. Now speaking of the sound, I think it is completely impressive as it works well with the picturesque principle of the movie. There is a phone ringing, there is chaos in the background, the ticking of the clock and people speaking. Director Rolf Gunnar uses no particular musical instrument in his film Bardo – he relies on various sounds from the daily life which will surely make the audience understand his story.
Throughout the film, I could feel an attachment deep inside and I could relate to the psychology on what happens when we are in pain and what we do to overcome it. We pray to God for power and strength and our prayer circulates around the Earth. The result we get is the rebirth of energy and the transformation from the worst towards the best. Bardo is a genuine cinematic classic that has a motivational story with a touch of vogue. Truly a must-watch independent movie! I can’t wait to watch more successful films from Rolf Gunnar Hjalmarsson.
Riya Saha is a Kolkata based writer, editor, journalist and cinephile. She has completed her masters with Journalism and Mass Communication from Calcutta University and currently working as a freelance journalist. Having a great interest in world cinema made Riya join Human Lab Corporation. She is passionate about setting goals and achieving them. She enjoys reading, writing, travelling, socializing and meeting people. She is also very fond of watching International movies.
