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FILM REVIEW

'THE RAINBOW MACHINE'
- Directed by Riccardo Jurkovic -

Starting as a road movie, Riccardo Jurkovic’s short film tells the story of Binjam, a young refugee from Eritreea that left his country in order to earn his existence and maybe to prepare a better life for him and his family. He lives in a simple container with an asylum seeker, Omid, and they both work as cleaning staff in a sports club. They don’t seem that happy with it, but it’s worth for a start.

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Right from the opening sequence, we get the dynamic rhythm of the film, which is always on the go, filmed in various places, never letting you breath for a second, because that’s how Binjam’s personality is: energetic and always a hard worker. Moreover, the unfolding of a childish drawing portrays the main character. He is kind, lovable and he loves his sister so much. He doesn’t seem to have a great relationship with his parents, as they don’t appear at all during the film, but we get that his leaving was mainly for preparing a better future for his sister.

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The hand-held camera aims to authenticity and gives the film a more intimate feeling, making the audience experience the emotional perspective of the character. The use of different shots helps portraying each character and especially Binjam, who we get to see from many angles. He may look like an ordinary man, but one night we discover that he is a real hidden gem and soon he becomes a professional athlete at the club he was working. We love how the Binjam’s warmhearted character was designed and the way it is fervently performed by Meron Kubrom - he gives the character a lot of personality.

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One of the most surprising and amusing moments in the film occurs when the Jehova’s Witnesses appear at their door. They try to convince the two of them that they need a spiritual change or ’’journey’’, but all that Binjam and Omid want are just passports. Soon, these two characters will encounter difficult situations and a lot of pressure will come from the society. In this way the script gives characters the opportunity to evolve, picturing this short drama as it tells a story about life, maturity and acceptance.

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In the end, this film shows a moving portrait of a young refugee that will definitely change the way you look at society nowadays. An uplifting and skillful piece of filmmaking that is worthwhile watching.

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