departures - a few thoughts

"Departures" is a beautifully crafted film.

Watching it was what I'd imagine browsing a gallery full of my favourite art pieces to be like...serene, captivating, heart-breaking, and by the end of the journey, I wouldn't even recall that two and a half hours have passed by. It's about a cellist who finds himself jobless and falling into a much quieter line of work - preparing the dead for burial. To tell you more would spoil the film, but as you may expect, one of the most prominent themes in the film is one of life and death.

It left me thinking about how death can bring new life to the living. Death, according to the film, should be something that is honoured, as demonstrated its portrayal of the traditional Japanese burial process. The preparation of the body is like a swift dance, and although the body is dead, it is brought back to life through this ceremony. Beauty is restored to the deceased, and the utmost care is given to honour the individual. In a strange way, the process of death allows us to understand our own humanity - and if honoured properly, can bring hope to the hopeless.