Don't be afraid of death. This is not my first film on this, although heavy, but has already become a classic, theme – a person dies of cancer. Only this was the first film where I did not see pathos, did not see fear, did not notice horror, where there was just ordinary life.
I remember that one of the first films I saw on the subject of imminent death was the painting by François Ozon “Farewell Time”. But there were only bright sunset colors, thousands of questions about the meaning of life in glamour and brilliance, and the hero himself pretty much stood out from the crowd. We can also mention “Reaching to Heaven” – also very vividly and philosophically suited to the topic of death. A number of other paintings are also remembered. But it was only in the film "Stop at the Concourse" that I first saw the truth. Not overloaded with pain, questions, tragic horror reality. Not decorated with tears of last minute joy. And, again, routine.
It's very simple here. In a normal medical office, a person is announced that he has a couple of months to live. The doctor is distracted by a phone call. Something private. Nobody's hysterical. The next day, the hero still goes to work. He's not a star, he's not a millionaire, he's just a factory worker. It lives in what we call “sleeping areas” – although it is Germany, it also looks gloomy. He has a wife. Two kids. Some kind of social obligation.
Yeah, he's getting indefinite hospital. Yes, the state largely compensates for the costs of treatment, quiet care and other things. That is, there are no global household difficulties due to the disease. In Russia, more than half of the film would show the horrors of everyday life. There's no such thing in "Stop at the Distillation." It's going smoothly. It's like the plan. Sadly, hard, but to give an accurate assessment of what is happening is impossible, you just follow this life, and even no thoughts arise. This is why I love European cinema.
You see how a person could still think, walk, and how gradually he loses these simple abilities, becomes weak and chained to bed. There's a word in my head somewhere called "Scary." But then you stop yourself - the film is not about that.
“Stop at the race” teaches us not to fear death. The meaning of the picture in the words of the nurse that at night comforted his wife. She said you can't send your husband to the hospice to die. That the whole family should see him sleep more every day and just fall asleep one day. “It will teach your children not to fear death. They will be afraid for the rest of their lives.
Death is a given. Death is a natural process. Cancer is not a sentence. Not as a trick to evaluate life. That’s where this classic theme opens up in the movie “Stop at the Distillation.” Fans of a good heavy European cinema must watch.