You are Not an Orphan...

Well, where do I begin? I would have to say that You are Not an Orphan was definitely one of my favorite films thus far. The film as a whole was so incredibly moving and there was so much emotion involved, that it is next to impossible for the viewer to not connect to it in one way or another.

When the film first began, I got the impression that the movie was going to be another one of those typical war-type films that was riddled with violence and devastation, but when I figured out what the actual story behind the film was, I was pleasantly surprised (which seems to be a common theme for me with the films this semester, but was especially true for this film in particular). Seeing the struggles that the family had to endure and the difficulties facing the children in terms of dealing with their personal hardships and figuring out where they fit in as a part of a somewhat unconventional family dynamic really brings out a sense of compassion for the characters and all that they are going through.

Aside from the story itself, the visual aspect of this film was very well done, in my opinion. I tend to pay attention to the framing and camera movements, so I found this film to be really interesting in that way. There were some very creative framing choices, whether it be canted angles, close ups on characters faces, etc., that made the film even more intriguing to watch than it already was. I thought some of the most powerful shots in the film were those that consisted of close up shots on the childrens' faces. There were many cases where the facial expressions said more than any dialogue possibly could have, so the close up shots were especially meaningful.

There really wasn't anything about this film that I didn't like. The film was definitely emotional, but had a hopeful ending. Finding out that it was based on actual events caused it to make even more of an impact, as well. It is without a doubt, one of my favorites so far.