Movie – Don’t be Afraid
Director – Matthew Winters
“As soon as you look at the world through an ideology you are finished. No reality fits an ideology. Life is beyond that. … That is why people are always searching for a meaning to life… Meaning is only found when you go beyond meaning. Life only makes sense when you perceive it as mystery and it makes no sense to the conceptualising mind.”
― Anthony de Mello
Ideology is a system of definite views, ideas, conceptions, and notions adhered to by some class or political party. Ideology is always a reflection of the economic system predominant at any given time. (Soviet Philosophical Dictionary, 1954) and the nature of this is ever changing. Ideologies form the core of a human being and help one to make decisions in their life.
Nothing is constant in this world and what seemed ideal around forty years back, might come across as something irrelevant. Protests are one of the most relevant forms of the outburst of a group of people – it is an integral part of ideology and its interpretations. Protests are extremely relevant in a democratic society as it brings forth a sense of unity and creates a space to exchange thoughts and help a generation to strengthen its values.
Matthew Winters’ short movie “Don’t be Afraid” is a heartfelt conversation between a father and son regarding a protest. In this movie the director tries to show the core essence of protests and its importance irrespective of time. In the movie, the son, Ben, is looking forward to joining a protest, and he opens up to his father about his next steps. Then they share a little conversation about how time has changed and become more dangerous. As the son gets ready to depart for the protest, the father assures him and asks him to not worry about the outcome. It is evident that the father still nurtures the days of his activities.
The film is just one minute long but Matthew has successfully conveyed the parent-child relationship within that little time. Ben Cable as Hank and Christopher Michael Rose as Ben compliment each other well. Ben’s supportive father is a prime example of a good parent and his character shows how important it is to support your children no matter what they do. The movie might be very short, but it’s relevant and leaves a lasting impact.
