Movie: The Water Wall
Director: Andrea Sambuccetti
“We need the tonic of wildness…At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Or, Life in the Woods
Human beings are considered the most beautiful creations of the almighty – and it is their resilient nature that makes them stand out amongst all the creations. Trying, failing, trying again – this cyclical process has been guiding the mankind since the days of inception. The humans have unyielding mentality and a curious mind that always try to cross the unknown. The adventure is like a forbidden fruit for the humans. Their dreams, hopes, obsessions and most importantly their nature, are connected to the word adventure. The human sought out the wildness, they were sought out like that at the end.
National Emmy Award winning Argentine director Andrea Sambuccetti’s “The Water Wall” is a brilliant documentary that reminds us of the never ending spirit of humankind and their innate desire to explore the unknown. The 15 minutes long film touches upon several issues in that small amount of time and reflects how people still go after their dreams, staking everything in their lives. The movie is based on the ongoing issue of Cuban exodus to the USA.
The documentary focuses particularly on Andy de la Torre. He is a 40 year old Cuban who tried more than 40 times to reach the US with the help of his rustic boat.
Andrea filmed Andy’s journey from a closer perspective. Her insights enabled us to understand how Andy is relentlessly pursuing his American dream. Andrea filmed her documentary after the rafters arrived on the Florida coast and interviewed several people and witnessed their plight. But among all of them, Andy de La Torre’s story stands out in its own merit. Andy’s never ending hope glimmers through his eyes. Despite failing several times, he never lost the track of his dream and tried fulfilling it time and again.
Even though Andrea focuses on Andy’s journey at large, the movie also deals with several important issues that are relevant for today’s world. Andy’s story of trying and retrying reminds us of Sisyphus who endlessly rolls the rock up only to be disappointed again after.
In the documentary, Andrea shows us a never seen side and gives a clear insight. The film discusses the issue of separation and outsiders. The film’s name is a subtle hint how some people are always separated and cut from the reality. Andy for instance, lives in his world of dream and hope and he fails to see through the water wall that keeps his separated from his dreams. But water also symbolizes the transition and transformation, the cycle of possibilities and missed changes mixes up and down with the streams, reminding one of the Moirai and their cycle of fate.
Apart from the thematic and symbolic treatment, Andrea handles the technicalities well. Her craftsmanship shows her potential fully. It was evident that she has poured her soul and blood into this film and needless to say, she has achieved and touched upon every little specks of this issue.
