Walden (2021)

Walden Poster

After returning from a year-long Moon mission, Cassie, a NASA botanist, finds herself in a remote cabin in the woods, where her estranged twin sister, Stella, a former NASA architect, has found a new life with climate activist Bryan. Old wounds resurface as the sisters attempt to pick up the pieces of the rivalry that broke them apart.

Overview and Plot
"Walden" (2021) is a philosophical, slow movie theater film directed by Bojan Vuletic and produced by Natasa Damnjanovic. This is a metaphysical journey of 2 sisters following their distinction in values and perceptions of the world instead of being a conventional narrative drama. The movie vigilantly explores a dreamlike journey undertaken by the 2 sisters, Jana and Iva, revealing extensive philosophical insights about life and its subsequent shifts.

Story and Characters
The story of "Walden" unfolds over three nights, during which Jana and Iva, stimulate various experiences from the past. Iva, reconnects to her past in the first night, while Jana begins a brand-new chapter of her life on the second night. The third night brings modifications into their lives, compelling them to embrace brand-new transitions and consequences.

The movie significantly explores Jana and Iva's distinctions and their diverging views on life and development. In the sensational opening shot, Jana (Sanja Malinovic) is seen returning home from Germany to a little, remote town in the Serbian mountains. Her return draws her into the heart of the cheerful warmth of her family reuniting. Iva (Ana Mandic) on the other hand, is seen toiling her life away on their household farm.

Themes and Visual Imagery
"Walden" incites the audience to contemplate on life's organic evolution by showcasing the day-to-day, mundane tasks, filled with pleasing silences and contemplative dialogues. Messages about simplicity, pureness, and realization are unwrapped through numerous scenes. The plain contrast between Jana and Iva's lives, with Jana having material success, and Iva's minimalistic lifestyle is shown to trigger a philosophical discussion on human existence's contrasting dimensions.

Vuletic utilizes the spectacular visual images of large landscapes, panoramic farm fields, wild forests and unpolluted nighttime skies, which function as a visual meditation in themselves. The visual storytelling is masterfully done, memorable and pleasing, specifically as the audience feels the inevitable passage of time and the earth's unstoppable cycle through the movie's precise shots, such as a background loaded with stars and the silent woods.

Style and Reception
"Walden" sticks out due to its slow movie theater design which captures the minute details of rural life and the juxtaposition of the characters' life courses. It stays remote from the mainstream spectrum and engages the audience on a transcendental, introspective journey. Despite the lack of stunning twists or significant scenes, the movie still handles to captivate the audience's attention with its minimalist, easy-going, yet intensely meaningful narrative.

The movie has been extremely applauded for its impressive credibility, special narrative design and exceptional cinematography. It was officially selected for the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and the Berlinale Forum and has actually been an acclaimed expect its different narrative altogether, a gorgeous blend of truth and vibrant creativity.

Conclusion
In a nutshell, "Walden" can be referred to as a carefully crafted thought-provoking film that invites viewers into a conscious journey of self-discovery, directing them to appreciate the simple, yet extensive elements of life. It pushes the limits of conventional storytelling, working as a visual and intellectual pleasure for the audience ready to take part in deep introspection about personal development and life transitions.

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