Released: September 2014(Ukraine)
Director: Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi
Not Rated
Run Time: 126 Minutes
Distributor: Drafthouse Films
Cast:
Hryhoriy Fesenko: Sergei
Yana Novikova: Anya
Rosa Babiy: Svetka
If there’s a word that I really don’t like throwing around haphazardly, it’s “unique.” You hear a lot of people talk about art-house movies saying, “This is unique, or that is unique.” Most of the time that word really rings hollow. Why? Most movies in this particular day and age are anything BUT unique. Sure, a film-maker can have a unique take on a particular subject or genre, but that does not make the film unique. For a film to be unique, it must be something that nobody has ever seen before. That is the point of the word. Yeah, we saw a fair share of “unique” movies 20-30 years ago, but movies today are basically carbon copies of something else. Does that mean they’re bad? Not at all. If they’re done well, I have no problems with them whatsoever. Whenever somebody says a movie is unique, I tend to take that with a very large grain of salt. As film buff and blogger, I’ve seen a lot. However, I just came across a movie called The Tribe which is probably the only modern movie which I can truly say is unique. And it really is, in all the right ways.
Opening on a bus station, the film introduces us to Sergei, who is trying to find a local boarding school. After a helpful person tells him how to get there, he shows up and is introduced to his classmates and surroundings. Early on, he’s basically shunned by a group of students who have taken to running the school like the mafia. After a hazing incident, Sergei is accepted into the gang and goes on to rob and beat people up. Eventually, he falls for one of the girls who is a prostitute by night, and this doesn’t sit well with the gang. While the story is actually really great, the first thing that you notice is that there’s no spoken dialogue whatsoever. The entire film is done in Ukrainian Sign Language. Why? The actors are deaf and mute. That’s why. In fact, the opening credits actually tell you that the film is done in sign language. There’s another thing you should be aware of: No subtitles.
Does that present a problem? If you’re not paying close attention to what’s going on, yeah. Most of us are content with current movies that have spoken dialogue, whether it’s in English or some other language that’s spoken verbally. But there are a lot of people out there who can’t hear or speak. So, subtitles can help them understand what’s going on. Yeah, movies are obviously a very visual medium, but The Tribe takes it to a different level. Instead of telling you what’s happening, the film SHOWS you what’s happening, and it’s up to you to figure it out. Again, this is where you need to pay attention. The story is delivered through sign language, sure, but you have to SEE the actors. You have to take a close look at their faces and the way they move. In some ways, The Tribe is teaching you how to watch the movie from a different perspective: That of a deaf person. The entire movie is like that, but it’s NOT a silent movie. There’s a lot of ambient sound with people walking and other minor sound effects. For those of us that aren’t deaf, those sounds really stand out. There’s no music either. What’s the point? A deaf person isn’t going to be appreciate it the way we do. It’s a very unconventional approach to film-making. It’s extremely risky, but the payoff is absolutely worth it.
The film goes to some pretty dark territory and can be pretty hard to sit through. Some of the girls have been forced into prostitution. The gang goes out and basically does whatever they want without much in the way of repercussions. If you pay attention to the movie, it’s actually pretty easy to follow. This is not an action movie, nor a horror movie, even though some horrific stuff does happen. Most of the actors and actresses are pretty much first timers, but they really deliver. You’ve got good actors and they’re deaf. Most people would consider deafness to be a disability, but for this movie, I would disagree. They have to emote through body language, sign language and facial expressions. As a result, the film is surprisingly engaging. While there are slow points, I was really curious about what was going to happen next.
The film is shot extremely well, as it really captures the isolation and bleakness of the school and the situation of the students. The director doesn’t cut until the scene is complete, so you have some pretty long takes, but that’s part of the charm. It allows you to really take in the atmosphere and what’s happening in the moment. I can’t really think of a negative here. I’ve NEVER seen a movie like this before, and that’s not just hyperbole. The fact that the film was made in Ukraine, especially during the crisis that was happening at the time, makes The Tribe an usual but very gratifying experience. It’s a pretty bleak film, but it’s extremely engaging. This truly is a unique film and I highly recommend it to anyone who considers themselves a serious film buff. This one gets a 10/10.