Worlds Apart (2008)
10/10
Sara and the father
15 May 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Worlds Apart begins with infidelity, committed by the father but repent by the community. As the mother does not forgive her husband, she has her reasons, the children should decide: she has to leave the house for an apartment (where she secretly sees her expelled son; his sin was reading the wrong books). Centered is the daughter, her father and the community. Saras way out from a sheltered, warm childhood into the cold outside-world starts subtle. Initiated by her fathers adultery, though repent by the community and not accepted by his wife; here Saras thinking begins. Word and action dis-coordinate for the true, passionate believer. Here and not her sinful love for Teis (based on lies and sex, a sin in the everything-seeing eye of Jehova, mediated by her father and the elder) starts off her doubts: the father and not the lover. Even in pre-paradise is a tempting snake. The snake here is Saras friend Thea, eager to tempted, doing something forbidden (internetchatting and disco). Three kinds of young witness Thea speaks off: the unfaithful, the between, the faithful (Thea the between, Sara as the faithful on her way, passing between, to be beyond the unfaithful) Thea backs anxious, realizing that it has gone too far. It is Thea, telling Saras father what happened when the friend is needed. Is Theas accident a scarifying suicide for what she has done by denying blood transfusion, knowing that death is for the higher cause? Saras questions and answers increase in strength – as well her self-thinking and self-deciding, standing her ground when tested by her father (he always tells her that her decision is hers, but he regards it not as a good idea), the community – and society. To be with Teis, against her fathers and the community's wish, Sara 'moves' to her mother (their conversation shows that daughter and mother understand each other, the mother waiting and hoping for this moments), the toothbrush and clothes with Ties, observed by her sister. Two bedrooms in case father and the community make their checks. Lies and two lives. Finally, as her brother, Sara is expelled: the first step done by her father. Sara: "Do not hide behind Jehova. It is your decision". After Theas funeral, Sara appears uninvited, her fathers accusation: that she is selfish, not thinking that she hurts him, her sister and brother. Sara asks: "Do you love me?", he: "Why do you ask, of course I do" and Sara: "Do you love God more than me?" The fathers yes is responded by her: "Why?", followed by his answer: "He has made me. He is the father in heaven, he can give me eternal life." Sara: "Father. I believe this is very selfish of you." And her father: "You can repent and return that we again can be a family". Sara: "Good bye, father." The last scene in a train car, Sara leaves for Copenhagen, where she will train for a teacher, never seeing her family again. And to Jehova: "Jehova, this is the last time we talk to each other. I do not believe in you any more." The Swedish SVT1-anouncement, 2010-05-10 22.00 for To Verderner/Worlds Apart tells The Swedish SVT1-anouncement, 2010-05-10 22.00 for To Verderner tells that Sara has to choose between religion and love. It is not this. It is so much more. Neither religion or love but 'naked' freedom, the strength to be persona non grata, the unwelcome person. For Tabita Broener (Sara) it was painful years journey. What is left behind will always be a companion in daily life, for better or worse. One of the reasons to leave, hardly noticeable, is the subtle tempting danger of spiritual and physical incest. With Lacan: the Third is absent, opening the door for incest. The decision of leaving is always personal. But to go to action, help is needed. Tabita Broeners story was read by the director and co-writer Niels Arden Oplev 2006 in Berlingske Tidende. A journey of many years was movie transformed to a year. The director uses neutral respect, only facts speak, helped by an expelled consult. Generally, wherever political and religious 'sects' are, the same is observed: leaving the warm (incestious) room, you are marked as 'persona non grata'. The lacanian No/m du Père: the empty space of l'ordre symbolique is not empty but occupied by l'ordre imaginaire. Mirrorreflecting to the members what Jehovah, told by the elders, what is wright and what is wrong. The absence of the No/m du Père makes the mentioned incest possible. It is this that is the danger and that Sara falls in love with the disturbing Third, Teis. It does not matter if he sees what Sara sacrifices and should balance. He was just a stepping stone for life outside and is too much the symbol of the past. Not only the community is closed-minded, also Teis parents are insensitive, practice self-righteous hypocrisy. Many members of such communities do not question the base of faith, do not brake out, unsatisfied what they have. Few, as Sara, are consciously hungry for more, without the courage to look for it outside. This is the reason why her brother returns to the fold of the community, telling Sara that he is unable to 'live isolated and lonely' – meaning outside their family. To see the mother and Sara secretly and not at all father his other sister and the little confused brother . If critic wants to see, which is not true, it is here. The description of the organizations effect on the family and how they handle it. These scenes are heartbreaking. Questioned, the organizations will answer with passages from the Bible – still: it is sad. Sad, as this method is well used in other political and religious organizations.
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