While We Live (Medhi Avaz, 2017): Denmark

Reviewed by Brianna Franklin. Viewed at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival at the Metropolitan 4 Theater.

In his first feature film, director Medhi Avaz explores the intricacies of tragedy and family. While We Live is an intimate look at four people living through the unimaginable. Avaz, along with his screenwriter brother, Milad, plays with time lines and camera angles to put forth a film about how people deal with (or not deal with) incredible pain.

The film stars Sebastian Jessen (Love is All You Need, Borgen) as Kristian, a solemn young man who is just trying to get to tomorrow, Julie Christiansen (Borgen, Wonderful Copenhagen), as Trine, a young mother and Kristian’s former girlfriend, Charlotte Munck (Headhunter, A War) as Hanne, Trine’s mother.

The film begins with a man who is at work, finding out his wife has gone into labor. He jumps in his car and drives towards the hospital. There is a loud crash, and a shot of glass breaking. From there, we jump ahead to Kristian working on a fishing boat, and then going home to cook his fiancé dinner. All seems fine until there is a knock at the door. Kristian answers and is presented with someone he clearly knows, but the audience isn’t sure of their relationship. They have an uncomfortable conversation, and the man tells Kristian that ‘Peter’ is dying. The film explores the relationships between each of these characters, as well as more characters to come. Avaz weaves a family out of strangers who aren’t, creating a beautifully cracked facade.

Avaz uses the complexities of individuals to explain tragic loses and shared pain. His meshing of time lines gives the audience a sense of the discomfort the characters are experiencing. The vast number of types of camera angles used gives a well-rounded approach into understanding each of the characters, their lives, and what they’re feeling.

While We Live is a gorgeously intimate film with a impressive cast great cinematography. It is almost painfully close to its characters, giving a stunning emotional connection from the first second. It is a must-see.