There's a brief scene in the movie where the camera focuses on sunflowers between transitioning from one important scene to another. That's the visual which remained with me – that of sunflowers. And the flowing river water. Water brings peace. This movie is about the honesty and expression of sunflowers. Its about the flow of emotions like the flow of river water. Experimenting with lipstick, trying a night out with the boys, are signs of tasting life, hanging out in a café, finding room to be in the strict environment portrayed in the movie. There are several controversial themes the movie touches upon, without taking a hard stance on any. Messaging is subtle – open for multiple interpretations. The father, a priest, is shown bearing down on his family and in the process weighing himself down. There are underlying themes of tensions between father and daughter. There is dialog between kindred spirits about finding one's own God – a God which lets one be without extracting forgiveness for existence, finding space away from authoritarianism. The movie ends with the girl finding herself on a wide open road, her hair open, her heart open. Its all very symbolic.
Review of The Other Side of Sunday
