Der Mann ohne Gravitation (2019)

Der Mann ohne Gravitation: Directed by Marco Bonfanti. With Elio Germano, Michela Cescon, Elena Cotta, Silvia D’Amico. Oscar comes to light on a stormy night, in the hospital of a small town and immediately we understand that there is something extraordinary in him : Does not obey the law of gravity. It floats in the air, hovers in the lightest room of a balloon, in front of the incredulous look of the mother and grandmother. The two women run away with the baby and decide to keep it hidden from the eyes of the world for many, many years. Only little Agata knows her secret. Until the day that Oscar decides that the whole world must know who he really is “The Man without Gravity” .

“I have taught English language and literature for over 40 years. One thing that has always challenged my students is the concept of u0026quot;magical realism.u0026quot; With u0026quot;The Man Without Gravity,u0026quot; I have a tool that makes teaching this genre (perhaps??) easier and FUN to do.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI happened onto this by pure accident, but from the opening sequence, I was immediately struck by how this film echoes of Márquezu0026#39;s story, u0026quot;A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.u0026quot; Yes–the conceit is similar: a man can u0026quot;fly.u0026quot; But both reveal deep concerns about u0026quot;normalcyu0026quot; and how we are afraid of things that are outside the narrow and u0026quot;prestigeu0026quot; defined range.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhat works in this film? First, the plot is magical: we see an infant born float from his motheru0026#39;s birth canal toward the ceiling attached to u0026quot;earthu0026quot; only through the intact umbilical cord. That image was compelling. But we move forward to where this boy meets and falls in love with a girl. Circumstances separate them, but they are reunited for a happy ending. OK–Iu0026#39;m a sucker for this plot device, but the way we are led through it is compelling.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe acting is lots of fun. The two leads: Elio Germano (Oscar, the protagonist) and Silvia Du0026#39;Amico (Agata, his love) are fun to watch and we pull for them as children and as adults. They have an innocence in their faces which I relish and which compels my empathy and joy for them.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe directing is OK, too. This film could easily have gone overboard, but it depends on simple SFX that work and also maintains the focus on the two central characters. Marco Bonfanti-who also contributed to the story-manages the pace and images to keep engaged with our characters. One quick reference: see the scene where Oscar and Agata are running thru the umbrella shrouded streets. It is a joyous sequence.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eLastly, I refer once more to the magical realism. Thou0026#39; I am aware of some films that have attempted this concept, I believe this one carries it off extremely successfully. We are invited into a world where we accept that marvelous things can happen. And ultimately, the marvel is young love growing into mature and lasting love.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eTake an hour and a half and relish this movie. Some who discard it, perhaps, donu0026#39;t realize how magical realism is an important 20th century genre and that this film does a great job of showing us the magic and the realism of love.”