Must Watch Before You Die #48: The Red Turtle (2016)

Watching 'The Red Turtle' on the big screen at Mumbai Film Festival last October was nothing short of a meditative experience. In only seventy-five minutes of its run-time and using not a single word of dialogue, this film did to me what very few films do: move emotionally, please aesthetically, say something simple and profound, and also calm my senses. Hope I was not alone.

Of course, the need to interpret its magical story and not being able to do it may frustrate one. I got lucky that I could figure out something while watching it, and that got kind of validated in the way the movie ended. I closed 2016 by watching it again, this time with my Mom. Several new details were added to my interpretation of it. You can read it below if you have already watched the movie.

But most importantly, I want to share this film as a must-watch. I read somewhere that it is hand-painted animation. Well, it is stunning nevertheless. And it goes beyond the need to interpret by telling a story that should resonate with any human, from any era, in any part of the world. Please watch this as soon as you get a chance. And if you get lucky to watch it on the big screen, do not miss that opportunity.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Who knows where we come from? And before we can figure it out, we are already here, in this world, in this life. There is no use trying to escape this, however harsh, cruel and confusing our existence is. Because we have to reach our end and try to do it with joy and peace, and by embracing our existence.

Of course it won't be easy. The lucky ones are blessed by some miracle - something that inspires them, that makes them better humans, that makes them fall in love with and respect their lives. That miracle can be a loved one, or the pursuit of an art, or doing some good, or even a spiritual quest. But that miracle is the most important thing we need.

Because then the same harsh, cruel, confusing existence will appear more joyful than we could ever imagine. 

There is however one catch. The world of ours, which we love and peacefully exist in, may not be fulfilling for our offspring. They need their own miracle or they will keep getting frustrated. They must follow their own calling or their confusion will never be over. As long as they are with us, they will hopefully fulfill their duties toward us. But then, they must set out to find their own truths.

And once they are gone, we should hope that they too will figure things out. When our moment of departure comes, hopefully we will have that miracle to soothe us and bid us farewell. Once we are gone, that miracle will move on to help someone else. Because such blessed miracles, like magical red turtles, are supposed to bring anyone out of their existential miseries, if only we had the heart, the courage and the clarity to embrace them.