After Dreaming

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At the start of Christine Haroutounian’s movie ‘After Dreaming‘, there’s a scene where a horse sips water from a pond, its nose surrounded by the radiant light of the setting sun. Gradually, both the horse and the man observing it become clearer. This gradual revealing of details, this leisurely unfolding of understanding, sets the tone for the movie’s philosophical approach. Instead of just watching, we are stepping into a threshold, a realm where history is alive in the present, where memories linger not as remembrances but as lived-through experiences.

As a movie enthusiast, let me share how I might rephrase this description in a first-person perspective:

In a post-war Armenia, I find myself unwittingly entwined in a heartrending tale. I am Claudette (Veronika Poghosyan), whose father, unjustly accused and executed as an enemy, leaves me shrouded in mystery and grief. To shield me from the crushing reality, my family enlists a disillusioned soldier named Atom (Davit Beybutyan) to accompany me on a journey through a desolate, war-torn landscape.

As we traverse this barren, battle-scarred terrain, the tension between us ebbs and flows—I, seeking solace and purpose amidst the ruins of my life, and Atom, burdened by the lingering effects of war, confront our shared past in a country where history seems forever unburied. Initially, this journey was meant as an escape; however, it evolves into a profound exploration of memory, trauma, and the elusive, fragile essence of freedom.

Fractured Conversations and the Weight of War

Haroutounian’s first feature film, characterized by hypnotic style, presents an Armenian scenery that is both tangible and symbolic, carrying the burden of war while pulsating with the subtle, ephemeral instances occurring between despair and elegance. The narrative revolves around Claudette, a young woman who remains oblivious to her father’s death due to a tragic act of mistaken identity. Accompanying her is a soldier called Atom, assigned to escort her away from home until funeral arrangements are finalized. Instead of a traditional road movie, the story unfolds as a dreamlike, hypnotic journey into the lingering psychological and cultural remnants of a conflict that, despite being officially concluded, continues in a subconscious sense.

The movie deviates from typical storytelling patterns, instead flowing like a real-life memory. Interactions between Claudette and Atom are few but heavy with unspoken stresses. Claudette is a woman of great depth, her feelings barely breaking the surface, while Atom is tough but fragmented, carrying the wounds of a life shaped by conflict.

In a somewhat unconventional manner, their discussions – on astrology, responsibility, kinship – are more like two spirits trying to find their bearings amidst a fragmented reality. At one pivotal instant, they face Mount Ararat. To Claudette, it’s breathtaking; to Atom, her appreciation seems almost touristic. This mountain, laden with historical and political significance, symbolizes their contrasting views and underscores how conflict seeps into even our perceptions of beauty itself.

Visual Poetry: The Art of Blurred Focus

Haroutounian and cinematographer Evgeny Rodin weave a visual narrative rich in poetic ambiguity. The film’s innovative approach to focus sets it apart; subjects frequently appear from obscurity, their shapes seemingly summoned from the mist of past events. Long, deliberate shots challenge viewers’ endurance, skillfully immersing us in the moment, making us sense the tension as time expands and contracts. Layered frames — a soldier yelling “Free, independent,” outside a temple, a wedding ceremony on TV coinciding with real fireworks exploding outside — construct a stage that persistently questions the essence of freedom, self-rule, and the role-playing aspect of identity.

The film “After Dreaming” carries remnants of cinematic theory, as demonstrated by its strategic employment of close-ups. A striking example can be seen during a moving wedding scene, which echoes the work of early film theorist Hugo Münsterberg. He suggested that close-ups intensify our emotional connection to scenes more than real life itself could. In this movie, close-ups of musicians playing instruments, a bride’s somber expression, and bodies touching in joy or sorrow during celebrations and mourning, go beyond mere observation. Instead, these images become almost magical—they are not just records of events but repetitions and rituals that hint at history never fully departing but always revisiting us.

The acts are captivating yet controlled, with Claudette’s portrayal standing out for its subtle intensity, an actress whose impact is felt more than explicitly stated, drawing focus. Atom, whose stoicism veers towards threat, creates a palpable tension, especially during scenes where his power goes unchallenged due to his uniform. Their bond carries a chilling undertone; she responds passively to his borderline aggression, and in a disturbing scene following a night of intimacy, a portrait of Jesus transforms into the Virgin Mary and then back again – a brief, dreamlike gesture that conflates guilt, power, and gendered violence into one ghostly vision.

How War Continues in the Bodies & Minds of Survivors

Following Dreaming serves as an unwavering contemplation of the unsettled conflicts within a nation undergoing transformation. The movie’s concluding section – a chilling fusion of war-related visuals and wedding bells, soldiers executing drills akin to dance – merges past, present, and future into one transitional realm. In Haroutounian’s universe, war does not cease with an announcement; it persists within the bodies that survive it, in the spaces between spoken words, and even in the structure of memories themselves.

Some viewers may not be drawn into the movie’s unique tempo. Its non-traditional storytelling, elusive narrative structure, and leisurely camera work require patience. However, for those open to its enchanting allure, After Dreaming presents a unique opportunity: the chance to dwell within an unfamiliar memory, to explore cinema as a form of cultural excavation, to catch, even momentarily, the ghostly reverberations of history in the present. After Dreaming made its debut at the Berlin International Film Festival; learn more about its upcoming screenings here.

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2025-02-21 15:02