NewsBytes Recommends: 'The Crossing'— haunting reminder of brutality of war
The best kind of films, with their measured and restrained approach, paint a true portrait of our times, no matter how harrowing the reality. The remarkably poignant The Crossing is one such film that tugs at your heartstrings before you know it, making you wish you could hug the characters after the credits roll. Only eleven minutes long, it's honest and impactful.
Overview of the storyline
Palestinian siblings Shadi, Maryam, and Mohammed are preparing to meet their grandfather after what seems like eons. Shadi, particularly, almost jumps with joy, as if this is the happiest day of his life. However, when they finally reach the destination (the separation wall), they encounter an irate Israeli government official. He forbids them from meeting their grandfather, their legal permits notwithstanding, thus, crushing them.
War's repercussions can be felt beyond the battlefield
We don't need to live through the mortifying experiences of war to sympathize with the characters: Death exists aplenty in such surroundings, or else, you meet a fate worse than death— rotting in prisons or being forever separated from your family. It's redolent of a different kind of war— the COVID-19 lockdowns— when families lay scattered like flies in different parts of the world.
Shows a mirror to the contemporary Israel-Palestine scenario
The film, although released in 2017, becomes all the more important considering the current mutilation of humanity in Gaza, where more lives are stifled than nurtured, more people laid to rest than brought in the world. Even the most simplest tasks like meeting a family member become herculean in such situations—who do you turn to if monsters are now veiled as humans?
Catches you by surprise toward the end
It's a touching commentary on the festering wounds of loneliness, and the shock that comes packaged with grief. TC comes of age toward the last few seconds, when a grave realization slashes through Shadi's innocent, unsuspecting, almost pitiful utopia. The air becomes thick with the unsaid; eventually, the truth dawns upon Shadi: For some people, there's no dignity in life and none in death.
The film is well worth your time
The Ameen Nayfeh directorial says a lot without being troubled by the overwhelming need to use too many words. All the incidents transpire in a few hours, but its grip on us is such that we never feel at distance from the characters. Moving, humane, unapologetic, and tender, it's a timely exploration of our impending doom and collective collapse. Watch it on Netflix.
