Now that I'm older, I can see all the things Madu isn't saying. Being given the chance to jump outside of your entire oppressive world and being the first to do so is very clearly expressed in these silent scenes. It shows the people we are lucky to meet who are nice, but still very foreign. The people who want to see you in their world, but are so far away from where you currently are you're only focused on making them happy. Then the people who see where you are and who you were that try to ease you forward into this new world, but already know the things that are hard to express. This movie shows them in as little words as there actually are to describe all these feelings.
Just seeing how and why it was hard to understand the opportunities given to you because you're going against the stream is what I was blown away by. It isn't enough to be given the opportunity. You need a Jiminy cricket to help you through it. The voice only you can hear that says to you, "wait a minute, that isn't truly the whole story , try again". He mostly hears "you'll be fine " a lot. Not because people don't care, but simply because they want you to be okay, but don't know how to say that without sounding like they don't really know the world you want to be in, but, just want you to be happy.
There's so much I wish I could convey about this film. I just know there are so many of us that can relate, but probably not with ballet, exactly.
I get it. It's hard to watch sometimes until I just remember that I'm just scared for Madu.
