#we will sing

Since I have started sixth form in the past September, I have focused more on the film side of media studies because one, my course asks for that, two, it’s always been some sort of interest to me (ever since about year 9) and three, both of my teachers are massive film nerds. I have finally come to terms with myself that I see film as the first thing in my approachable future. People who know me will understand that this is odd, since I have always dedicated a big part of my heart to music. However this does not mean i cant have both. 

I have waited for today for a relatively long time. Today, was the premiere of a historical Lithuanian film; “We Will Sing”. It’s based on the true facts of the re-establishment of the independence of Lithuania. Now, I haven’t seen a lot of Lithuanian films and neither have I ever constructed a clear opinion on them for myself. But this... this was something else. 

I watched in three different states of mind. A generic viewer, as a patriot and as a media studies student. All three of them didn’t have high expectations and boy were all three of them wrong. If this was released to a wider audience I don’t think this film would succeed. It lacks that emotional bond with each main character, and it lacks representation of development of the situation within the country in that period of time. BUT, what absolutely amazed me was the making of this film and what it portrayed. Since it’s based on true facts, it has a high responsibility to represent these true facts along with their surroundings by setting the correct scene/feelings. Some of the historic facts were told through simple text whilst a scene was introduced, which I thought was an awful idea but, that’s just one downside of the film. 

What made this film absolutely extraordinary for me was its use of those facts. Its use of different character plots to tell these facts of real and valuable history. The film used actual videos that were filmed within these situations. It of course also used new filmed parts to it for them to be able to actually make the film. The character development wasn’t really that clear and there were frankly too many characters. However, this doesn’t stop them from developing these characters as we see everything tie in, all of their story lines combining with each other.

What I thought was one of the most beautiful things within this was the representation of Lithuania as a nationality united to fight for their freedom - as real people. For example, even though we see about 4 different characters travel from different places to one city and all managing to tie in with each other already shows how close the nation is. This is the part of history where Lithuania was fighting for freedom, and we really see that when the whole cast of the film are just singing, caring for each other and what happens after the main action. We see shots of hundreds if not thousands of people united and all grieving for the 14 lost lives within that battle. We get about a 5-10 min montage of just pure emotion.

After the film, my mum told me more about that period of time. “I was your age then” she said. I asked her what she remembered and she told me how she remembered watching the commentary of the events since she was living in a different city. She remembers how through the commentary, you could hear the people take over the television tower and how suddenly everything stopped and nothing was broadcasted. She remembers her mum worrying. She remembers how the next morning the first thing she heard was a man shouting out of a car, yelling “if you want to join to fight for freedom go to (name of place) where the buses will take you to the capitol”. I thought about how hard that must have been. 

What I understood today after this film is that I love Lithuanian cinema. There’s a sense of realism in there that I don’t seem to see in any other films. I see this when I go home. I see this only in Lithuania. 

"Dos fins da Terra, nós escutamos essa canção

Glória ao Único Justo.

Vamos cantar as canções que despertam o amanhecer.

E vamos inaugurar sua aparição.

Seu rosto é o que queremos.

É sua presença que almejamos.