Technicolor maximalism at display. Every shot feels controlled and patient and you can feel the craft shining through. The story is immaterial, maybe even treated as a crutch to let the visuals speak some narrative. Oh, the visuals. Sitting in the theatre on a Monday evening; and I almost wished that not many people come to see the show, and felt bad when that wish was granted but I can imagine that sorry state of alternate reality when people might get up in between and leave; when the quiet dialogues get drowned out by impatient murmurs.
This is a film which is capable of bringing nostalgia to someone who has never even lived in the mountains. Nothing feels rushed and hurried. A lot of the plot points remain unexplained; maybe because you’re not supposed to understand the plot and should just live through those two hours of quiet existence, letting yourself be transported to that Himalayan village in 1989.
I loved the lack of any soundtrack, loved that there were no tense music leading up to the final revelation, loved that things were left ambiguous. I especially loved the interactions with villagers, capturing them in their rawest emotions. Voiceovers generally detract from the experience, but here they don’t stand out as much because it is used judiciously.
This was a treat to watch and I’m glad I got to see this in the theatre.