Possession

Divinity exists at the limits of human existence; it can be defined simply as the perfection or extreme of any human ideal or concept. We are human for our lack of the ability to ever reach this perfection - defined by our limits. Possession explores this most coherently through the lenses of death and love. It's not new to explore the human fascination with death. It's the end of our existence, the most obvious and eternal question of all; the ultimate limit. But love isn't so different. What is it, really? Where does it start and where does it end? This is directly referenced by our main characters - Mark finds divinity in the corpse of his dog, while Anna finds it in her love taken to the extreme. Żuławski explores this in a twisted nightmare of a film, looking at a broken marriage that orients the question through the compulsive, arbitrary limits of societal norms. If we are defined by our unreachable limits, then the only way to grow, to further our understanding of the self, to be human, is to push those limits. We will never reach them - at least not until we reach our actual end - but we can push them, and should push them, to become the most realized version of who we can be (these are the limits of the self, of identity, not any kind of physical limits). But the small box that the modern nuclear family creates, one with an excess of rules and expectations, leaves little room for this exploration. How do you know who you are when your path is already written? Possession takes this to the extreme. A surrealist, Lynchian nightmare (predating Lynch, obviously, but an idealogical contemporary and an obvious thematic precursor), complete with double identities, idealized selves and others, and a depiction of perfection and truth where there is none to be found. Possession gives us these extremes, this hunt for our limits, and blows right past them. An almost cathartic rejection of restrictive norms, most clearly countering heteronormativity and religious expectations but commenting on it all. But beyond that, it is a depiction of this search for our limits in itself. And as is necessary, as we hit our limits, we fail. It all collapses. Our characters go out in a blaze of beautiful glory. But lucky for us, we aren't these characters. We can learn from their lesson without it being the end. We learn the limits exist; that there is life beyond the immediate. Żuławski gives us an angry, extreme depiction, but the message is clear. These people are unhappy because they live a life they were never meant to live, and their broken collapse is a symbol of the extremes brought upon by the repressed self. If we search for our limits, we might begin to know them, and we might begin to know ourselves. And perhaps we might be happier, and healthier, and live better lives. __________________ Alright then. Really loved this, it's right up my alley and also just fantastically done. So many unbelievable shots, the camera work is lowkey revolting but it works so well done. Set design and the storytelling through the setting is incredible, one of my favorite parts by far. I also want to note that it's entirely insane to me that anyone would want to remake this (which they're doing by the way) because it's a miracle this exists at all. Not only can I not imagine someone going as far as they need to to maker this work, but every part of this is ridiculously singular - I love her, but there is no chance Margaret Qualley is touching this performance. Anyway. I guess we'll see though.