Ahmed Elzamzami- Decalogue

 These short films work as midrash through ambiguity or lack of emphasis in dialogue. Instead, the film focuses on the visual aspect of storytelling. The abandonment of an explicitly stated plot creates wiggle room for the viewers imagination and past experiences to fill in the gaps. This is exemplified during the beginning of the story of the boy who drowned, we are shown his aunt staring at a video of him running around at school. We do not know the context behind this film as it is being presented to us. So, we utilize midrash to make meaning of it. This visual ambiguity is comparable to the psychoanalytic inkblot test, where an analyst presents different vague images and takes meaning away from what the viewer thinks of the images. The concepts of Remez and Darash, what midrash works to bring out, are at play during this inkblot test as well as in Kieslowskis work. It doesn't matter what the inkblot literally is, its deep and comparative meanings hold more weight. In the film we are not even provided with concrete literal meaning, leaving the viewer no choice but to adopt a deep, introspective, comparative way of looking at the film. 

    Bridging the gap of understanding is achieved through visual means multiple times in the film. There are universal emotions that all humans share and Kieslowski expertly presents these in a way that they hard not to recognize. The scene I had previously mentioned of the boy running on TV is an example. We see the longing for the boy in the mother figures face. Perhaps we are reminded of a time we were lost as a child, or other instances of disconnect from loved ones. Another example is the visual tension and anxiety created as the father is trying to figure out where his child is, or rush of emotion we see when he hears he was out ice skating on the ice before it collapsed. The way these scenes are visually presented allow them to bridge across cultures and provide a glimpse into what we all have in common. This also answers the question of how feeling is related to meaning: The feelings that the visuals evoke create a more personal meaning to the film. The viewer can relate to the feelings presented in the film, allowing midrash to more easily occur. After all, emotion is seldom associated with being literal and relates more to comparison and deeper understanding. 


    This film makes it easy to relate the general code and ultimate meaning to our personal lives by presenting realistic situations that could very well happen to the viewer at some point. Losing a child in an accident and coming in contact with a deranged murderer are rare occurrences, but are not completely out of the realm of possibility. It is still possible to realistically put ourselves in those settings. Presenting these situations, along with the emotions associated with them, allows for the interpretation of the commandments at a more personal level. 

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