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Reviews
Vinterland (2007)
Vinterland: Cold and Real
This movie toyed with my emotions, as I laughed, cried, and shouted with furry. "Vinterland" was the first Nordic film I saw that had a predominant cast of minorities. It tells the story of three Iraqi immigrants, who have different experiences in their new country. Norway is known as a great of country known for their strong economy and social equality (including gender and sexuality), "Vinterland" addresses some flaws of the immigration policy and overall social acceptance of immigrants in the country. These factors can negatively impact the immigrant experience.
Immigration has increased tremendously over the past 50 years. During the 1960's, just 50,000 inhabitants were immigrants, while today the number reaches over 500,000. In Oslo, 25% of the total population in 2008 was reported as immigrants (80% being from non-western origin). The 1990's brought several immigrants from Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Today the most populous minorities are from Poland, Sweden, Pakistan, Iraq and Somalia (WHO). This recent influx likely sparked the interest in producing a movie involving immigration, and more specifically, immigration by members from the Middle East.
One character whom I grew near to was the old Iraqi man. He seemed like such a sweet old man, but later in the movie we sadly hear that he is getting deported back to Iraq. This storyline is not rare, since Norway deports more and more illegal immigrants annually. Just how strict are the immigration policies in Norway? Norway is one of the most difficult countries to gain citizenship. (The Foreigner). An article in The Foreigner explained the controversy over a new immigration policy as of October, 2009. The minister of justice of Norway wants to "crack down" on asylum seekers and had a goal of deporting 4000 asylum seekers by Christmas without considering the opinions of the United Nations. The UN stated this new policy as "inhumane" and I do as well. Also, since 2009, ships even have to apply for and receive a "special sailing permit" to be on Norwegian waters (World Cruising Club). It appears that the government of Norway is trying to limit the opportunity for immigration, and I believe Zaman wanted to provoke this discussion.
The marriage between Renas and Fermesk was extremely frustrating at first. Fermesk was extremely insecure, as her husband bluntly ignored her due to her heavy weight. She was terrified, as she left her family and country to marry a man she knew only by a photo and to come to a country with a different language and different people. It is quite common for men to immigrate to Norway, and then have a woman apply for a fiancé visa (UDI). This is actually more of a permit and does not secure a residence visa. This is why Renas was constantly on the phone worrying about Fermesk's residence visa. We later found out that Fermesk lost her virginity back in Iraq, and she never wanted to go to Norway. This fear exemplified the major differences between cultures and how difficult and scary it is to integrate into society.
Fermesk, however, found it important to integrate for her well being. She took the bus everyday to a school, where she began learning Bokmål. Her dedication was clear, as she listened to tapes in her home and appeared eager to learn in the classroom.
The final character, who was more of the main character of the film, was Renas. Renas tried sticking to his Muslim roots, conforming to gender and social norms. For instance, he believed in an arranged marriage, and he felt like it was his responsibility to work while his wife stayed at home. In her case, she sometimes went to language class. Renas worked at a job that appeared to be in a factory, with little opportunity for advancement. According to ¬¬¬¬the Council of Europe and the European Commission, Norwegians businesses have remained stubbornly white at the top positions (6).
Why were the native Norwegians portrayed as distant and cold? First of all, it is common in the Norwegian culture to "keep to yourself" and not "make small talk." However, I think the situation with immigrants goes deeper than these norms. An intercultural profile on Oslo revealed that there is a prominent "strand of thinking that believes that true 'Norwegianness' lies in the blood" (Council of Europe ,1). Even though the Norwegian people may be accepting of immigration and asylum seekers, many refuse to believe immigrants will ever be "truly Norwegian." As I think of immigration, I often link immigrants to cities and urban areas. This movie was an exception, as the main characters lived in Nord Norge, in a house outside of a very small town. After doing some research, it became apparent that the Norwegian government tends to spread immigrants throughout the country. This strategy has "been seen as a means of avoiding the ghetto development" (Council of Europe).
I have great respect for the country of Norway, but every country has some room for improvement. "Vinterland" puts the issue of immigration in the spotlight. The dialog and filming builds attachment and sentimentality towards the main characters of the film. It gives examples of immigrants who deal with cultural changes, worry about getting a visa, being far away from home, and the worst-case scenario, getting rejected by the Norwegian government and getting deported. In the end, the couple seems to adjust, but it is not the case for everyone. This film is worth watching, and puts the life of an immigrant in perspective, which can be connect to others inside and outside the Norwegian context.
Musta jää (2007)
Weak Women
Musta Jaa's dark triangle thriller definitely got my attention with its suspense and twists, but for a country that views women as powerful, this film did a wonderful job of showing them as weak. Perhaps I hold the Scandinavian countries to a higher standard when it comes to social liberalism, but for a movie made in 2007, I do not like its messages. Why are these women victims? Sara should have left her husband immediately, and Tuuli set herself up for a lifestyle of insecurity and unhappiness. Kotwica claims that he wanted two powerful female leads, well Petri, these ladies were pathetic. This movie makes me NOT want to go to Finland, that's for sure.
It seems that Kotwica is trying to get us close to both Saara and Tuuli. His portrayal of Tuuli encourages the viewer to be sympathetic towards her. Long takes, using a close up shot show her crying and miserable. EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS DATING A MARRIED MAN! This girl is young and beautiful, and she goes after some pock faced homely professor who is "so intelligent" and truly "appreciates her art." Barf! Physical appearance is obviously not the issue here; I just felt like being descriptive. The fact is Tuuli is stupid, ignorant, and epitomizes everything a female should not be. No matter how well you do in school or how great of a citizen you are, sleeping with someone's husband makes you dumb. At the end of the movie, I was crying! I was so happy that Saara helped Tuuli. I wanted her to live, and I felt sorry for her. Then, I thought about it, and realized that she is dating/dated a married man. Duh. I believe in second chances, I do, but Kotwica made me forget everything immoral about Tuuli's character. There were even times when I thought Sara was the annoying one.
Let's look at a more positive aspect of Finland. Gender equality! Both Saara and Tuuli are women with good economic standing. Saara is a doctor, showing that she has had many years of education, while Tuuli is currently studying art at the university. Their roles in society seem to portray gender egalitarianism. This portrayal is quite accurate, as Finnish women tend to have full time jobs and have equal rights in the labor market (Arber and Lahelma, 125). In fact, women have historically participated in the labor force. For example, in 1950, 41% of women were employed (Arber and Lahelma, 123). This was possibly the one good thing these women had going for them, but what good is gender equality in the schools and work place when your significant other is a cheating, shallow a. hole?
Maybe the consumption of alcohol is a contributor in the poor behavior of these females. We saw Tuuli and pretend Saara go out on two occasions and drink heavily. Sara banged a German exchange student half her age, and Tuuli often cried over her gross married boyfriend. In Substance Abuse (2001), Bloomfield, Gmel, Neve and Mustonen found a large increase in alcohol consumption among Finnish women since 1970. They believe that the egalitarian society causes women to adopt behaviors, such as drinking, from males because they are "increasingly moving into professions and/or lifestyles similar to those of men" (39).
Perhaps these are issues that Kotwica wants to address, because it sounds like drinking and infidelity is a prevalent issue in Finland. If his intentions were to prove that this type of lifestyle is unjust and immoral, then yes, I agree with him. My one question I still must continue to ask is: why make Tuuli so innocent? She is a woman who should be able to recognize that her choices are bad for her well being. Is this how Finland views infidelity? I'm not a religious person, so I do not believe adultery is sin, but I think marriage requires commitment between two individuals. Two people in a marriage should have enough respect for each other not to cheat! How about a divorce???? Legally, they're fairly easy to get in Finland.
Honestly, I did not hate Musta Jää. It was exciting and had exquisite cinematography, and I always enjoy a film with an unpredictable plot line. And for the record, I am not opposed to traveling to Finland. I know better than to judge a country by one representation. However, the two women angered me, a lot.
Bibliography
Arber, Sara and Eero Lahelma. (1993). "Women, Paid Employment and Ill-Health in Britain and Finland". Acta Sociologica. Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 121-138. Sage Publications.
Bloomfield, Kim, Gerhard Gmel, Rudie Neve and Heli Mustonen. (2001). "Investigating Gender Convergence in Alcohol Consumption in Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, and Switzerland: A Repeated Survey Analysis". Substance Abuse. Vol. 22, No. 1.
Festen (1998)
Festen's message to the United States
"The Celebration"- Not Just for Danes
Thomas Vinterberg's "The Celebration" was a 1998 Danish film about family and friends coming together for Helge's, a Danish man's, 60th birthday. One of his sons, Christian, revealed to the guests that Helge had sexually abused him and his twin sister when they were young, and that was the reason why his twin had committed suicide. The film realistically portrays contemporary social issues that occur in many western societies and exemplifies common ways that individuals deal or cope with them. Although "The Celebration" was Danish, it sends a powerful message to other nations, like the United States. A country's political views and actions shape ideas about topics such as immigration. Verbal, physical, sexual, and substance abuse are all factors that impact familial development. In that sense, this message becomes global. People are social actors, and their social environment shapes who they become. Danish society in the 1990's influenced the messages in this film, but I think it should be also be viewed by Americans to understand their own culture.
Alcohol played a role in the film as a source of abuse as well as a source of escape. The entire group consumed alcohol at the party, and they appeared to consume more once everyone began feeling awkward after Christian's story. Christian seemed to have been using the mood-altering drug to manage or numb his bottled emotions. Michael was a perfect example of an alcohol user who became violent and verbally abusive, which we saw during his interactions with Helene's African-American boyfriend. Alcohol consumption is quite popular in Danish society, for in 1994, drawn from a sample of about 2500 males and 2500 females, only 3.2% of Danes 16 years of age and older abstained from alcohol (WHO). Although abstinence in the United States is much higher, statistics have shown high levels of binge drinking (WHO). Alcohol most likely influenced Helge's abusive actions when the children were young.
Michael's way of dealing with being raised in a hostile environment was to create one of his own. His father was powerful and showed his power through verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. Michael learned how to be in control by mimicking his father's behavior. Helene's form of escape was to surround herself in a culturally diverse environment and be removed from her family setting. There were glimpses of anxiety as she puffed down cigarettes. Vinterberg strategically tilted the camera for a dysfunctional effect. The long takes, home-video camera, and dull lighting takes the viewer into the story as if they were there. Watching the film makes one feel awkward and uncomfortable because it is so realistic.
Verbal and physical abuse targeted Helene's African-American boyfriend. In Buckser's "Communities of Faith: Sectarianism, Identity, and Social Change on a Danish Island" (1996), he discussed that Danish identity has been challenged since they joined the European Union in 1972. The globalizing world brought in new people and ideals. One constant Danish trait that has survived has been their language, which could explain why people in the film were upset with Helene's boyfriend who continued to speak English.
Immigration and globalization is also a domestic topic of debate in the United States. Although the United States does not have a concrete identity that dates back hundreds of years, there is still tension with immigrants. Both the United States and Denmark have had political parties that had agendas to refuse foreign peoples social rights and services. In the 1980's and 90's, the Yugoslavian Civil War brought many central European immigrants to Scandinavian countries. During that time, there was also a large influx of Muslim immigration. In the 1990's many immigrants, like the Muslims, lived in Muslim enclaves separate from Danish society (Assyrian International News Agency 2010). In 2005, George Bush and Homeland Security began the construction of a multi-billion dollar wall stretching across the Mexican and United States border. The wall was quite a controversial topic, but there were still many people who were supportive. The Danish Progress Party until in the 1990's stated that, "refugees should not be integrated and only in exceptional cases be granted permanent residence. Access to Danish citizenship should be limited by a quota arrangement, and be given only to people with ability to care for themselves and with sufficient knowledge of Danish language and culture" (Bjorklund and Anderson 1999). Both countries have dealt and are still dealing with controversy over immigration.
Clearly, between alcohol abuse, hostile environment in the family, and tensions of immigration, we can see the similarities of Denmark and the United States of America. These are not just Danish issues. "The Celebration" displays these cultural problems in a harsh, yet effective manner. I love its honesty.
Sources
Assyrian International News Agency, 2010 http://www.aina.org/news/20080718105208.htm Bjorklund, Tor and Jorgen Goul Anderson. Anti-Immigration Parties in Denmark and Norway: The Progress Parties and the Danish People's Party, 1994.
Buckser, Andrew S. Communities of Faith: Sectarianism, Identity, and Social Change on a Danish Island, 1996.
Schwartz, Jonathan Matthew. Reluctant Hosts: Denmark's Reception of Guest Workers, 1985.
World Health Organization, 2010 www.who.org