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October 16, 2018
Serial | Jun Makiguchi's Cinema Full Life, Part 18: 'The Wife Between Us'
Serial | Jun Makiguchi's Cinema Full Life
Part 18: Understanding the True Nature of Your World Empowers Change
In the Fade
Perhaps those who feel happy now also feel a sense of security that their lives are not threatened by anything. Happiness and security are surely two sides of the same coin. But, regrettably, injustice also exists in this world. Unwarranted criticism, loss without fault. The world is full of violence. What a blessing it is not to be exposed to such anxiety and sorrow.
Text by MAKIGUCHI June
A Human Drama That Shakes Your Values to the Core
The film 'In the Fade' tells the story of a woman's shocking decision after losing her beloved family in a sudden terrorist attack. Katja lives in Hamburg, Germany, with her Turkish immigrant husband Nuri, who runs a consulting firm for foreign residents, and their beloved son Rocco. One day, Nuri and Rocco are killed in a bombing.
During the investigation, Nuri is suspected of ties to an organized crime group due to his past drug dealing record and his status as an immigrant from an Islamic country. Katja finds herself treated by the police as if her deceased husband, the victim, were a suspect. Furthermore, although the perpetrator is caught, they are acquitted due to insufficient evidence. The offender's actions, which seem to mock her, and the slow progress of the trial, add to Katja's pain, as if compounding her grief from the loss. Unable to heal from the sorrow of losing her loved ones, Katja pursues the suspects without a clear plan.
The audience is with her throughout her emotional journey leading to a certain decision. What makes this film powerful is its ability to make even the shocking and unacceptable ending painfully understandable through its meticulous psychological portrayal. Diane Kruger's performance as Katja is superb, and as I constantly asked myself 'What would I do?', my heart resonated with the heroine's plight, making it almost unbearable to watch. The ending, which masterfully symbolizes the heroine's complex emotions—grief, despair, confusion, and liberation from suffering—leaves one heartbroken.
This is by no means a story of revenge. Through the figure of a woman confronting unjust violence, it is a human drama and a record of struggle that highlights the darkness plaguing modern society and depicts a citizen's earnest fight against it.
How can the cycle of hatred be resolved? Is there a distinction between indiscriminate violence to uphold one's beliefs and violence for retribution? If even legal professionals discriminate against former criminals to protect their clients, what meaning do the laws and punishments prescribed by the legal system hold?
These questions, posed repeatedly by the film, stayed with me for days. Even if you have firm answers to these questions now, would you still confidently hold the same answers after watching this film?
These are questions that expose the essence of humanity. The director profoundly shakes the viewer's values. Violence is wrong. Criminals are to be judged under the law. Victims should be protected. How fortunate we are to believe in such common sense. Finding this film shocking is, in a way, a sign of good fortune. However, should we remain so innocent as to turn a blind eye to the injustices occurring in the world? To know the world we live in, embracing both its light and its darkness. This is a frightening prospect, but it is the only first step toward moving the world in a better direction. Fatih Akin's provocation is filled with pain. But confronting that pain head-on, without flinching, can be the catalyst for a small change in your heart, yet a significant one for the world.
★★★★★
A powerful drama that shakes viewers' values and lingers long after the credits roll.
In the Fade
Directed by Fatih Akin
Starring: Diane Kruger, Denis Moschitto, Johannes Krisch, Numan Acar, Ulrich Tukur, and others
Presented by: Bitters End, WOWOW, The Asahi Shimbun Company / Distributed by: Bitters End
©2017 bombero international GmbH & Co. KG, Macassar Productions, Pathé Production, corazón international GmbH & Co. KG, Warner Bros. Entertainment GmbH
Opening Saturday, April 14, 2018, at Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho, Shinjuku Musashinokan, YEBISU GARDEN CINEMA, and other theaters nationwide!
Jun Makiguchi
After working for Kyodo News, film festival secretariats, and magazine editorial departments, she became an independent writer. She currently writes film columns and interviews for women's and men's magazines, focusing on lifestyle topics such as fashion, food, and music depicted on screen.