WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
What is it to dream? To seek out that which inspires, encourages, challenges, and drives you forward in life, helping to maintain a sense of purpose and hope for the future? What is it to desire initiating lasting change, even if initially just within the confines of our own spirit, soul, and mind? The continent is Africa, the country is Somalia, and found inside its borders, contained in the central part of Somaliland, is the village of Beerato. It is in this location, a land that is arid, dusty, windblown, and home to a special group of hard-working, noble women–shepherdesses–who long for something more. The voice of a young girl named Khadija Haji calmly recounts the story of creation, even as we glean her own yearnings to achieve a more fulfilled life.
Having never known her mother, Khadija’s upbringing was one under her Auntie Sahra and her beloved grandmother Fadumo, both of whom have carried the family legacy of being shepherdesses themselves as they strived to provide for the family. The only girl among the boy cousins she’s been raised with, it becomes apparent that opportunity for schooling and attaining land is a challenge for women in a village still controlled by the primary decision-makers, men. Yet, Khadija is learning, becoming stronger, taking in every moment while battling the loneliness of not having her mother or grandmother present. But, there is a simmering confidence beneath the surface her voice exudes, even as she pictures growing wings and flying away into the vast heavens.
Next, my Mind:
For this reviewer, there is something intensely personal being conveyed through the uncomplicated yet affecting imagery and voiceover-driven narrative being presented in co-writer/director/executive producer/editor Alex Lora, co-writer/director/executive producer/cinematographer/editor Antonio Tibaldi, writer Amina Souleiman, producer Toland Samba, and executive producers Valerie Delpierre and Francis Mead’s 10-minute indie documentary short film that is as much a statement about the human condition as it is an effective glimpse into the simple yet unflinchingly challenging life of one young girl and the exploration of the desire to rise above what’s been “the norm” in order to see change brought about that could possibly reshape a community, a country, a continent–perhaps even the world. This may sound overdramatic, but the sheer sincerity and real world emotional connection the viewer can experience listening to Khadija’s tale while taking in both the reluctant beauty of Beerato’s unforgiving landscapes and traditional, seemingly immovable, cultural intricacies all serve as a reminder that there are places in this world where even these factors cannot snuff out a person’s joy or dreaming of bigger and brighter pursuits while having to overcome obstacles so many of us will never know. We should never grow weary of investing ourselves in learning about our fellow men and women, and this stirring story is a solid start to do just that.
What also stands out for this reviewer is the subtle yet potent delving into the film’s title’s concept in the context of Khadija’s journey, looking up at the sky above her in wonder as it represents both hope in the faith she professes but also an almost elusive means of escape that she ventures to in the wake of the sometimes stifling loneliness and, perhaps, lingering anxieties about what her destiny holds for her. The deep love she carries for a mother she never actually knew and a grandmother she’s not seen all that much is again an understated yet potent force here, and one cannot but glean this depth of connection, even in spirit, is an integral aspect of what moves her forward. It leaves you wanting her to succeed and then some. That’s the beauty of documentary film–it’s a literal, undeniable portrait of the actuality occurring each and every day on this planet, and to share in that, to be able to be a part of a total stranger’s personal parable and feel something for it while watching the images on the screen is the mark of well-made cinema, which this is, even in its all-too-brief runtime. Shall we therefore take from this style of filmmaking a lesson about our own life pilgrimages, whatever form that might be for each of us, and find a new level of commitment to improving not only our own path, but perhaps that of someone else along the way. There’s already too little of that in this world.
So, in total, “Godka Cirka (A Hole In The Sky)” resonates through multiple facets of its presentation, delivering the story of a young dreamer in tough circumstances finding the hope that one day, ideally in the best of ways, she will find her wings and soar above it all, where a proud shepherdess might become so much more.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
