Ama'ara: The Song of the Whales

Now, THAT'S what I call new cinema. I expected a classic documentary about whales, the way they usually do it, classical brainfood. But you get something completely different than previous films. There are two levels, one level tells the story, the other level is the journey to the whales. The whole thing is wrapped in a kind of real fairy tale with a lot of music sung by the protagonist. Pure mind people will have their problems with it. This film is not only something for the eye, but especially for the heart. And whos center is thinking will be in trouble here. It does something to you when you get involved, which I can't really put into words yet. Amazing!

Where to start? The film has so many powerful moments. It evokes feelings that are very deep. You've somehow landed in a place that reminds us of 'Ashes and Snow' or ' Winged Migration', with a little Terrence Malick 'Tree of Life'. And the footage is truly STUNNING. National Geographic quality at its finest. We kept thinking THIS is the reason cameras - especially drones - were invented.

At first I was surprised because this film is really structured differently from others I have seen so far. A mother whale (wonderful voice!) tells her children the story of a woman who goes on a journey to sing with whales. The fairytale character lays over this woman's journey like a warming blanket. It is a very slow, focused story told that will challenge those who cannot stand still. Those who still have the great ability to surrender and see something really new will experience a miracle here. I have rarely seen anything so beautiful, in music and images.

What a film! Actually, the word 'film' doesn't fit at all. It is rather a musical painting. Again and again you want to dive into this abundance of music and images. Quietly and stirringly they flow by and move the heart. And with it the world.

I especially liked the fairytale-like choice of words. It touches! Like a child, one opens oneself to the course of the film. I'm excited to see what paths Ama'ara takes. And I am sure that Marina, the protagonist, will continue to sing for it.