Good morning. I am curious, have you ever watched a movie or read a book that you simply cannot get out of your mind? Days and weeks later you are still thinking about it.
In the last few weeks I watched two movies that I simply cannot forget. I can still see the faces of the people and their stories are still rattling in my brain.
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The first movie was The Last Train Home on POV. The documentary tells the story of the Zhang’s, a couple who left their children in the countryside of China to be raised by their grandmother while they work and live in a factory in the city. The Zhang’s are trying to earn a living so that their children can go to college and have a better life.
In addition to how hard the Zhangs work to eek out a meager living sewing clothes what I cannot forget is how hard they struggle to get back to see their children once a year. Every Spring, along with 130 million migrant workers they fight for tickets, and space on trains going back to their home village. When I say fight, I mean sometimes waiting for days on end in a mob just to squeeze on a train that they ride for days. I have never seen anything like it and pray that I never have to experience it myself.
You can watch this movie from September 2- October 3, 2013 online. HERE
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The second movie, Oranges and Sunshine is a true story and stars Emily Watson as Margaret Humphreys, a social worker who discovers that roughly 130,000 children were deported to Australia from Britain between 1940-1967. The children were taken from poor families and single mothers who were promised that the kids would go to loving homes. Sadly many, many of these kids were used as child labor and suffered years of mental, sexual and physical abuse. It took death threats and over twenty-five years but Margaret reunited thousands of children with their families.
After watching both of these movies my first thought was how blessed I have been in my life. The second was that no matter how bad you think your problems are someone has it much worse.
Neither of these movies is an upbeat or “feel-good” movies” but they are excellent and they will leave you thinking.
Tell me, what movies or books are you still thinking about days or weeks later?
Have a great day!
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These both sound very thought provoking. I will definitely check them out. Thanks for sharing.
I have recently read a book "Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet" by Jamie Ford which is about the Japanese families living in America during the second world war who had to forfeit their houses, possessions, and jobs to be interned in camps. This book stayed with me for quite awhile.
Thanks for the recommendations….love foreign films and always happy to learn of a new title. Will pass on to my parents too, they are foreign movies enthusiasts who fashion themselves as "critics" 🙂
Elizabeth, Books and movies which stay in our thoughts, and maybe make us squirm a bit, are the ones which remind us to not allow history to be repeated. Thanks for the recommendations. Have a great day! Bonnie
Dearest Elizabeth…both films sound powerful and indeed thought-provoking…
I really love the POV documentaries…it is such a gift to learn more of the world and people around us.
How are you, my friend? Are the days still very hot?
After a cool August we are now dealing with scorching heat and humidity…
Oh well..the snow will be falling soon enough… 🙂
Much love to you,
– Irina
I've heard of the second one, but not the first.
Thanks for the recommendations Elizabeth! Both films great and worth seeing. xxleslie
Good morning my dear! WOW, I am so late, school starts next week, so I've been in meetings all week. A good movie is in order now, but I have so much to organize, it's scary! ENJOY YOUR MOVIES! Anita