On October 19, the drama 'I Will Always Remember Your Faces' by Jeanne Herry appeared on online platforms, about criminals and people who have experienced various forms of violence. Herry shared the director's chair with other filmmakers on the set o...

This year, two therapeutic films were released — the Spanish and Italian 'The First Day of My Life'. The French 'I Will Always Remember Your Faces' beautifully joined this trio (and our sinful lives too).

Masha Yuma

'What Strangers Talk About' – When Cinema Turns into a Therapy Session

On July 27, the Spanish comedy drama 'What Strangers Talk About' hits the big screen. We tell you how this funny film speaks about important things.

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We are introduced to the restorative justice system in France. Convicted or already released criminals meet with their victims or those who have suffered exactly the same attack. These meetings are only possible under the careful guidance of mediators, of whom there are also three in the film. One can even see a religious subtext here.

The plot is divided into two components: two mediators and several volunteers conduct joint conversations with robbers who are in prison and with people whose lives have been divided into before and after the attacks, and one woman who helps resolve a very serious conflict between a sister and a brother.

Being a person who is on both sides of conflicts and must bring all these people to some common agreement is incredibly difficult. It requires a lot of strength, both moral and physical, but at the same time gives deep satisfaction from the work done. And here again we get an isosceles triangle — all three social roles cannot exist without each other.

What comes of this can be seen in the film, which fully justifies the hopes placed on Jeanne Herry and her cinematic team. We see real people with their fears and experiences, who turn out to be brave because they are still afraid, but take first timid and then confident steps in acknowledging their feelings. The most diverse ones — pain, horror, panic, anger, and the realization that life goes on. Once again, we can see how important and necessary it is to talk to each other openly and honestly.

Each of the heroes comes to their true self and discovers great strength within. And together they realize that support is the most valuable thing we can give each other. Of course, this is a beautiful conclusion in a world that is a little better and more ideal than ours, but why not look at it and think about how we can get closer to it?

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