For some, retirement means time spent pursuing a favorite hobby, or simply catching up on all the missed travel opportunities, for others it might dreadfully feel like being confined to an uneventful limbo, where all the responsibilities that used to define us and give life meaning are replaced by crosswords and repetitive days.
Oren Ergen perfectly captures the claustrophobic stasis of post-working life by telling the story of his father, a retired engineer who loses the responsibility of planning his village ceremony to a group of young locals deemed more fit for the task. Despite the physical and mental health issues that he is forced to battle with, Meir Gerner degenerates into physical altercations fuelled by childish jealousy and loss of control over his life—which could potentially entirely alienate him from his own family and peers. He must come to terms with his elderly status.
Africa has a powerful script with vibrant analogies, dramatic pauses, semi-unspoken dialogues, and a multitude of settings pervaded by both fears of uselessness and invisibility. The director (who makes a cameo in the film) presents humanity's oldest predicament: growing old and being set aside for the younger generation.
The protagonist must learn to accept this new fragile season of life. Fortunately, the love for his grandchildren and the magic they share, made of fictional tales and homemade beds, end up slowly but gradually helping Meir through the struggle.
The film has powerful camerawork, with close-up shots of silent facial expressions that aim to capture—and trigger—strong emotions. The naturally flowing interactions between the characters, and the cast portraying themselves, makes Africa an interesting piece of realistic meta-cinema.
What library shelves would this title be on?
This title would most likely be suited for the health and wellness section in an academic library and for public library patrons interested in dramas shot in a documentary-esque style.
When retired 68 year-old Meir discovers that his 30 years of planning the annual village celebration have been summarily discarded and the job has been given to inexperienced local teens instead, the ground beneath his feet begins to give way. In his effort to restore a sense of meaning and vitality, Meir begins to rebel against the inevitable: the betrayal of his physical body, the growing distance from his children, and the loss of relevance.
Reconstructing fiction from real life, Africa is the cinematic journey of an aging parent crafted by the hands of his loving son, in this deeply personal story on reinventing oneself, as years go by.
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