Everlasting Moments: Rediscovering Talent
Everlasting moment is a film that leaves an imprint in shores of soul of all who will watch it. It’s a film of deep love and rediscovering oneself through the lens of another person. The 131 minutes moving celluloid evokes greater sympathy and better understanding of humanity as the story is penned from heart and is based on a novel by Ulssater Troell.
Film: Everlasting Moments
Cast: Maria Heiskanen, Mikael Persbrandt, Jesper Christensen, Cohlin Ohrvall
Director: Jan Troell
Running Time: 2 hours and 11 minutes
Rating: 4/5
Directed by Jan Troell, Everlasting Moments is a film that pulsates around a woman Maria Larsson. Maria lived with her husband Sigfrid played by Mikael Persbrandt and their seven children in the port city Malmo, at Sweden. Sigfrid earned living by working as a labor in the docks. However, despite being a jovial, kind-hearted and loving man, his greatest weakness was alcohol. His family members awaited his homecoming with trepidation and nervousness as because during his sober time he is fun to be with but when he is drunk he can be dangerously violent.
On the other side it is a treat to see Maria’s performance. She portrayed the role of a resilient and complex woman with such ease that it seemed real. In the film Maria works hard as a house-cleaner to cope with meager family income. Once, she found out a camera which was gifted to her during marriage. She decides to get some food by pawning the camera in a nearby shop.
It is here that the film takes a turn. Maria grew up without much education and there was no stint of sophistication in her. But she did not know that she was a gifted photographer. It was discovered by Sebastian Pederson who saw an undeveloped plate inside the camera when Maria went to pawn it. On developing the plate he was taken aback by seeing the photograph. Instantly he told Maria that he wanted to buy the camera but she should continue clicking pictures for him.
In no time her hidden talent got unearthed by Sebastian who had been a perfect gentleman with etiquettes and courtesy to Maria. He was older, Maria respected him and probably he became an inspiration for her to continue as a photographer. Eventually they did fall in love silently.
But the story does not twist with Maria leaving her drunken husband and settling with Sebastian. Instead the movie is a portrayal of how Maria as a woman connected to her inner being as she transformed to a new individual.
It is a story of rediscovering one’s talent which one never knew existed. Maria cautiously grows to become financially independent through her own creations.
One side Maria was deeply committed to her marriage through an eternal bond indescribable in words that is best reflected in the scenes when she earns living for her family by clicking marriage photos when Siggy went to war. On the other hand, there is deep feeling of reverence and admiration shared by both Maria and Sebastian for each other.
This film again is a masterpiece from Jan Troel. His other greatest creations are The Emigrants, Hamsun and The New Land. The essence of all his films is living life for greater fulfillment. You will find that most film critics get bowled over by sheer strength of humanism in his films.
Watch out this film and you will feel that your eyes are washed with purity, resilience and divine love. The film is narrated by Maria Larsson’s daughter Maja Larsson played by Callin Ohrvall.
