Film Reviews / Mar. 21, 2018
“Together or apart, nothing is forever.”
Chris Miera, director of Paths (2017), has a question for the audience: “How long is eternity?” In his very first feature film, he tries to give us an answer while carefully examining each phase of a relationship.
In the small German town of Thuringia, Andreas and his boyfriend, Martin, have been together for over 15 years. They have also raised a boy named Max, who now is 19 years old and has flew the nest to go to college. Finally, the couple can have some quite time alone like the days before becoming fathers. However, being trapped with each other only leads to arguments over tiny meaningless things. Their relationship is about to fall apart. They cannot find the person they fell in love with 15 years ago except in their memories and photos from the past.
After his work as cameraman in films such as Oh Boy (2012), Miera wrote a screenplay and decided to direct his first film, earning him a nomination for the Teddy Award at Berlin Film Festival. Set in the stunning German countryside, the film narrates a rare story in a straight way. Plus, the two leading actors’ natural performances fire up every single frame. Each aspect of the film (music, editing, acting, photography…) sets a slow pace that silently flows through past, present and future in the river of time.
In this film, objects are also used to enhance memories. For example, a photo they took during a trip and a chestnut Andreas gave to Martin when they started dating are symbols of each other’s feelings. In opposition to Andreas and Martin’s broken relationship, the photo and chestnut will be preserved forever. Will the past actually remain in the past? That is the question Miera wants everyone to ask themselves.
Paths is now available on GagaOOLala!*
*Film only available in Taiwan.
Author: George
