Slow Shift: the silence of ruins as a tool for reconciliation between humans and nature
© Shambhavi Kaul I Frame from Slow Shift.
Slow Shift, the short film directed by Shambhavi Kaul, won the award for best film at the 60th edition of the Pesaro International Film Festival. The international jury, composed of Luís Miñarro, Júlio Bressane and Myriam Mézières, wanted to reward this film by recognizing a strong and disruptive message in the evocative reflection on the intertwining of myth and reality. This success is not accidental. In fact, the film had already received critical acclaim at the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival last September. The victory in Pesaro represents further confirmation of the value of this work, capable of moving and making us reflect with its poetic simplicity.
Set in the fascinating scenery of Hampi, India, among the ruins of the ancient city of Vijayanagara, capital of the empire of the same name which flourished between the 14th and 17th centuries and now a UNESCO heritage site, the film evokes a sensation of timelessness (where geological, biological and historical times cohabitate), accentuated by the absence of humans and the presence of monkeys (entellus or langurs) who, with their disturbing but cute resemblance to humans, blurring the boundaries between nature and civilization, These primates are considered sacred because they are descendants of the monkey-god Hanuman and protagonists of several episodes of the Indian epic poem Rāmāyaṇa. Now they are the guardians of those places, which they contemplate undisturbed, with their proud gaze, as bearers of superior wisdom, reminding us that even the most powerful empires sooner or later collapse. They are a living testimony to the enduring power of nature and its ability to reclaim even the greatest of human creations. Here the human race is represented only by ancient buildings in continuity with the rocky landscape, made with the same materials recovered on site. Here it is not easy to distinguish between what has been shaped by the humans and what has been shaped by nature, which is slowly recovering its original morphology.
© Shambhavi Kaul I Frame from Slow Shift.
Slow Shift is not a narrative film in the traditional sense. There is no plot to follow, no characters to identify with. Rather, it is a sensory experience that invites the viewer to slow down, breathe in the atmosphere of the place and reflect on the passage of time and the permanence of nature in the face of the ephemerality of human creations. The cinematographic work opens on fixed shots of enormous rocky masses, alternating with shots of small landslides and mudslides that generate new landscapes through a slow and inexorable process of transformation of the territory. An ancestral place that seems regulated by a precarious balance, an unstable world inhabited by the human beings in the past and now by monkeys who guard it as guardians. The director plays with the contrast between the close-ups, which capture the minute details of the eroded rock, and the sweeping views of the surrounding landscape. This creates a sense of vastness and time that passes inexorably, as nature slowly reclaims what was once built by humans. This interplay of still shots and long shots creates an atmosphere of stillness and contemplation. The sound support is essential and amplifies the sense of solitude and silence, broken only by the noises of nature and the sounds of monkeys, to create a suggestive and engaging atmosphere, acting as a meditative experience that invites spectators to reflect on the passage of time, about the enduring power of story and the coexistence of myth and reality within a magical place.
In this relationship between what has been and what is, myth can act as a sanitizing tool for human beings. In fact, in times of decadence, hatred and confusion, myths, since the origins of humanity, have played a fundamental role in humans’ life, not only as explanations of the world and its forces, but also as powerful means for its improvement. They offer models of behavior to follow, transmit values and knowledge, encourage critical reflection, promote healing and social cohesion. Their relevance lies in their ability to speak to the human soul, inspiring, educating and guiding the individual towards a richer and more meaningful existence. But above all, “shared” myths create a sense of belonging to a community, strengthening social and identity bonds together with cohesion between individuals. Myths can be used as tools to mediate social conflicts and promote peace. Through intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding of different mythical narratives, bridges can be built between divided groups and peaceful coexistence fostered. Welcome, Slow Shift. You came at the right time.
© Shambhavi Kaul I Frame from Slow Shift.