Tuesday 9 November 2010

Revisiting A Story of Forbidden Love

"Brideshead Revisited" Film Poster
Forbidden love has been a very popular topic of romance flicks, from Shakespeare's classic "Romeo and Juliet", awards winner "Titanic", to heart-rending "The Notebook". On the 8th November 2010, I was led to the notion again as I watched "Brideshead Revisited" in Jakarta's Europe on Screen 2010 (European Film Festival).

It is a British independent movie based on 1945 Evelyn Waugh's novel under the same title. Brideshead is an arty grand mansion owned by Marchmain, the family of Lord Sebastian Flyte. The main character, Charles Ryder is the mansion's adorer who makes friend with Sebastian Flyte in Oxford University. They have an awkward relationship as Sebastian falls in love with him. Ryder who is also a talented painter, by Sebastian's invitation has a chance to live his life in the dwelling and gets to know more about the family's Catholicism set up strictly by Lady Marchmain, the mother.

The Brideshead Dinner

The forbidden love issue raises as Ryder starts to have a crush on Sebastian's sister, Julia, and she replies. Sebastian's drinking habit gets worst, while Lady Marchmain does not let her daughter marry an atheist. Therefore, she couples Julia with a Catholic Canadian, Rex. Moreover, Ryder is also exiled from Brideshead.

Marchmain's Family Catholicism Puts Ryder in the Shadow

Several years later after the mother dies, married Charles Ryder meets married Julia and revisits Brideshead to take her away from Rex as Charles and Julia still keep the same feeling they had before. Their love is tested once again by the late mother's Catholicism family value which Ryder does not believe in.

Joining this film, Academy Award Winner Emma Thompson as Lady Marchmain, Matthew Goode as Charles Ryder, Ben Whishaw as Sebastian Flyte, and Hayley Atwell as Julia Flyte. The film is a 2008 Miramax' production by Julian Jarrold, and nominated for some areas in Satelite Award. Elongate the nomination list is Thompson as best supporting actress in British Independent Film Award and London Film Critics' Circle.

For me personally, I miss this kind of tragic story film which loads much humanity and social issues. When I heard about Europe on Screen 2010, I was so ready to enjoy some European drama. "Brideshead Revisited" has given me a good starting touch to remind myself of my expectation on the festival.

Indonesian British Council Director, Keith Davies, in his short speech at Istituto Italiano di Cultura Jakarta believes that the film attracts not only a European indie cinema adorer like me, but also fashion society. The film's attire which is set to be British aristocrats' around 1925 has been influencing UK fashion designers even up to now.

"Brideshead Revisited" can be caught on 10th November 2010 in Goethe House at 19.30 for Jakarta's screening, and 29th November 2010 in Europe House at 19.00 for Banda Aceh's screening.

movie trailer:
http://www.miramax.com/bridesheadrevisited/?page=11140

source:
http://www.miramax.com/bridesheadrevisited
http://www.flickmagazine.net/feature/244-europe-on-screen-2010--jadwal-berdasarkan-negara.html