Central Station

Big Screen

Islamabad

Director: Walter Salles

Lok Virsa Mandwa Film Club screening Brazil-France co-production Central Station on Saturday (February 25), at 3 p.m.

This is the first film selected from Brazil for screening. The film was nominated for Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Actress and Best Foreign Language film. The film was highly acclaimed at Robert Redford Sundance Film Festival and won top award at Berlin International Film Festival and BAFTA (British Film & TV Awards).

Central Station revolves around building up gradual understanding and relationship which ends up in deep friendship. We see people writing letters on railway station for those of us who cannot read or write. These letters are not mailed but become part of the trash. Now contrast this with others who live with their mothers but have never seen their father and what would happen to them when mothers would be killed in an accident. Even though we get to travel a lot in Central Station but this film never falls close to a road move or travelogue. Appeal of Central Station transcends national boundaries. Life changes with events and circumstances, commitments made are eventually honoured with trust and compassion.

Central Station is all about relationship between two characters-powerful and haunting, not bound at all by manipulative sentiments. All this comes with warmth, laughter and some tears. The journey the two characters take would melt many hearts and moisten many eyes. If best thing in a movie plot is when main character changes, here you would see the change which would grip you.

The documentary-style film making, without glamour and gloss, gives life to Brazil's rural scene. The director has made the film with warmth, love and tenderness, showing spiritual discovery of people. The indifferent and ruthless regain what they had lost.

One of the greatest assets of Central Station is its powerful story and characters (two basic prerequisites for any good film). The director moves with restraint and subtlety. The technical aspects are First Class .Background score on piano enhances and intensified the visuals.