When You See the World Through Someone Else’s Eyes

Read Time:2 Minute, 58 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic (Sokea mies joka ei halunnut nähdä Titanicia)

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Year Released: 2021
Runtime: 1h 22m
Director: Teemu Nikki
Writer(s): Teemu Nikki
Cast: Petri Poikolainen, Marjaana Maijala
Where To Watch: Premiering at the SXSW film festival (will be available on VOD soon)

What makes a powerful film? I guess I should start by defining powerful; for me, it's a film that makes you think, a film that doesn’t simply follow the paces because it knows it should. This film speaks to you from the title to the cinematography to the unique poster and credits because it knows what it is and wants to tell its story.

It is a film for film lovers, with regular mentions of classic cinema throughout and done so that it seems like an ordinary conversation. I often think to myself and wonder where my passion for film came from. All the dots connect to make me love this art form the way I do. Every time I question this, the only answer is because film draws you in. You can become part of the character's world and, in doing so, become part of the film itself. While I am lucky enough to experience the movies I do on screen, the main character of the film Jaakko (Petri Poikolainen), has lost his ability to see. Even with that, he’s able to have a passion for the movies he once loved.

I won’t give away one of the unique aspects of the film other than to say that we get to experience the movie through his eyes. It’s a meaningful experience and a humbling one, it may take a little getting used to, but once you get into the style, you can’t shake it.

In reading up on the film, I found that the lead role was written specifically for Poikolainen by the writer/director of the film. Friends in real life allow for a deeper connection that gave the film a true sense of realism that I think it otherwise would have been missing.

One of the most telling aspects of the film is that the two main characters have a purely online friendship and have never seen each other in person. This resonates with me because I, too, have friendships like that. Some of them, I would even go so far as to say, are some of the most genuine and enduring friendships I have. There is something so pure about only communicating with someone via messages that let you see that person's soul. You sometimes feel like you know them better than you know yourself.

A two-part film that is beautifully told with ease, we see this simple story unfold in front of our eyes, and in doing so, we’re given a rollercoaster of emotions. If you can check out this film, I recommend it without question. It’s different than your average movie but an experience worth branching out for.

Thank you to Bright Iris Films for letting me view this touching story!

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