Rain, a film from Estonia and a the debut feature film of Distance maker Estonian director Janno Jürgens explores the clash of generations and power relationships within family. The making of the film took seven years to complete.
“It was a long process and it took us seven years to complete the film since inception of the idea. It worked and we are happy to be here,” Jürgens said while addressing the media on the sidelines of 52nd IFFI at Goa on Tuesday.
Rain is being screened in the Competition Category for Best Debut Feature Film of a Director, at the 52nd Edition of International Film Festival of India.
In the film, the protagonist, Rain follows his young brother Ats, and unexpectedly returns to the family home in a small seaside town to face their authoritarian father Kalju and their mother, a woman on the verge of losing love. Ats is a witness to the clash between his father and brother, two stubborn men from different generations with radically different views of the world. When father tries to push Rain into the boundaries of his world, Rain finds hope in Aleksandra, a mysterious woman with a shady past.
The director explained that the clash of generations - old versus young – is a pervasive motif that runs through the film. Jürgens said that Nordics by nature keep their emotions inside and find it difficult to vent it out.
“Some emotions which I can’t express in real life, I wanted to express through reel,” he said.
Talking about the film, he said that it was a journey of self-discovery and an exploration of his own self.
“I had many unanswered questions within me which I could never express in real life. I made a film to ask those questions to my brothers,” added Jürgens.
His short film Distance which was selected for the Locarno Film Festival was also on the theme of the power-structures within societal planes and the young man who wants to break free. He further said that films ought to be honest and intuitive expressions of one’s authentic self.
Anti Naulainen, the writer of the film said that there are generational gaps within a family on several fronts, starting from language, habits and the use of technology.
On his experience at IFFI, he said “We have travelled around 7000 km to reach IFFI, but people everywhere are same, so as the emotions and problems. It’s a wonderful festival that unites people across the globe through cinema,” he added.
Assistant Director of the film, Henel Jurgens was also present on the occasion. (With inputs from I&B Ministry)
