Name: Sigh
Original name: Zucht
Year:2007
country of origin: The Netherlands
Director: Margien Rogaar
Genre: Short film
Duration: 10 mins
Starring:Yannick de Waal, Moo Miero, Roeland Fernhout
Zucht is one of those movies you have to watch several times to fully get its meaning. At first, the movie did not seem very promising or meaningful. One may even say that Zucht is quite a confusing film. However, if you see it a few times through the eyes of the different characters (imagining it really) it’s quite possible that it will give you different very impressions about the film and the life around you.
Camerawork
The camera work in this film was pretty decent for a short film. The actors were all very good-looking and had very expressive faces and postures. The camera work was pretty adequate for this. Taking pictures in water that are still and steady are quite difficult without a lot of investment. Skin and face close-ups were frequent and that made the atmosphere of the movie seem more personal and intimate. That fact alone brings kudos to the film and it’s makers.The timing and pacing were also quite smooth and flowing.
The Plot
The main character was a 13-year-old boy who is yet to feel the first trembles of love. He seems pretty shy to me smiling when a girl called him for a bike ride and then at the beach it become clear that he is a bit embarrassed by his body, as he struggled behind the towel to change into his swimming suit. When it comes to nudity I found his behavior quite weird but that’s me. I am used to hanging out at nude beaches where I have to admit it’s quite odd when you see someone acting the way that boy did. On a side note it was obvious that the girl liked him a lot it’s just that I could not figure out if man that went riding with them was her father, a brother or another of their friends.
That in itself could turn the meaning of the movie at 180 degrees.
Below you will see the various and diverse interpretations of the movies meaning.
One reviewer wrote:
12-year-old Erik goes to the beach with his friend Sofie and her dad.Sofie seems to be in love with Erik, but Erik seems to be a lot more interested in her dad!
And another wrote:
In this movie, Erik awakening to the joys of sexuality, the stirrings of love and the pleasures of the human skin. I think the message is one of freedom and innocence, at a time when coming of age facing a life-changing experience – is that magic happy time in our lives .
And still another:
The previous relationship which he obviously had with the other boy who was a friend the way only two boys can be, form and the symbolic separation on the bicycle ride to the beach. From the open “shedding of the skin”
symbolic of aging to the final kiss. Once at the beach the previous relationship which was consensual and mutual, probably from an early age became tentative. He was obviously still aroused by the sight of his friend becoming naked and hid his forming erection behind the towel then rushed to the water. He was evolving. The young girl who was very pretty obviously had eyes for him and he for her. But he was still torn between what was and what he wanted now. She delivered and invitation in a kiss. He had to decide now.
He rushed to his friend now in the water to say a final goodbye delivering his message with the tag of continued love signaled that although he was changing from a boy to a young man that he would always have love for his childhood mate.
He returned to the young girl with the last vestiges of his boyhood washed away, he accepted her invitation.
As you can see, how you identify the older male role in this movie can change your perception of it’s meaning dramatically.
Soundtrack and Audio
At its very begging the movie had quite modern techno music – which could make you wonder what kind of film it would be. There was very little dialogue in the place which made the plot a bit harder to get adding to the initial confusion the movie caused . However it could be argued that the acting compensated for the limited dialog as much had to be said with the eyes, body language and the directors clues. Finally it should be noted that the dialogue is in Dutch – and probably the limitations of the dialogue would actually do you a favor if you are not familiar with this language.
the English translation “Sigh” means “1. A deep and prolonged audible inspiration or respiration of air, as when fatigued or grieved; the act of sighing.[so i found it quite interesting that none of the characters really do “sigh’ audibly at all, but that the “sighing” is all done in the imagery and what i saw throughout the movie
To summarize
A very symbolic and moving piece done in a very short film. Symbolic films are very difficult because different cultures have different value bases. Your understanding and definition what love is could change. It demonstrated the dilemma of sexual choice in the adolescent male. Such a simple movie it really makes you think about things so much. ‘Zucht’ could have an awakening effect on you.
– now I get it: close friendship is a form of love!
Note : What you just read is the first result of the SkyKid.org’s joint movie review forum. The review above is based on the opinions of SkyKid, Joe11,Bestpi,´KID combined and blended in a joint review . To see the separate opinions or if you want to leave your own visit the disscusion thread or leave a comment to this post.