if anyone wanted to watch a ww2 film about women, this should be at the top of your watchlist !!
the dawns here are quiet is a beautiful and tragic film that treats women as dimensional, developed characters. it stars an all-female unit of anti-aircraft gunners, and for once they are not all treated as a monolith, nor is there any one "token" female character. the girls are all distinct, with different motivations, backstories, relationships, personalities, etc. they're girly and have silly moments, but are also endlessly brave and talented. the film highlights being a woman in a way i truly believe must come out of a place of respect. (i'm pretty sure the director dedicated this work of art to a nurse who saved him during ww2)
there is one major male character (vaskov), and he is also wonderful. over the course of the story, he undergoes so much character development. it was so heartwarming to see how what had once been an awkward relationship with the female unit turned into him truly caring about them and taking on a role as an older-brother figure with them. not once was he a womanizer which i really appreciate the writers for.
in terms of cinematography, parts of it were unique, but it's not exactly my favorite. i watched this on youtube with very low quality so that did not help it's case at all... either way there were a few visually striking scenes but no one shot or angle that i found extremely memorable, except the mix between color and black and white which works well in the way it was used.
speaking of the color vs black and white, the way it was used with the flip between past/present was interesting. although i do wish this was a little more consistent? there were dreams, visions(?), memories, etc all lumped into one category and filmed in color. i didn't hate it but i do wish there was a bit more of a pattern to it.
overall 4/5!! a phenomenal take on womanhood during ww2 that i appreciate so much <3 !!
if anyone wanted to watch a ww2 film about women, this should be at the top of your watchlist !!
the dawns here are quiet is a beautiful and tragic film that treats women as dimensional, developed characters. it stars an all-female unit of anti-aircraft gunners, and for once they are not all treated as a monolith, nor is there any one "token" female character. the girls are all distinct, with different motivations, backstories, relationships, personalities, etc. they're girly and have silly moments, but are also endlessly brave and talented. the film highlights being a woman in a way i truly believe must come out of a place of respect. (i'm pretty sure the director dedicated this work of art to a nurse who saved him during ww2)
there is one major male character (vaskov), and he is also wonderful. over the course of the story, he undergoes so much character development. it was so heartwarming to see how what had once been an awkward relationship with the female unit turned into him truly caring about them and taking on a role as an older-brother figure with them. not once was he a womanizer which i really appreciate the writers for.
in terms of cinematography, parts of it were unique, but it's not exactly my favorite. i watched this on youtube with very low quality so that did not help it's case at all... either way there were a few visually striking scenes but no one shot or angle that i found extremely memorable, except the mix between color and black and white which works well in the way it was used.
speaking of the color vs black and white, the way it was used with the flip between past/present was interesting. although i do wish this was a little more consistent? there were dreams, visions(?), memories, etc all lumped into one category and filmed in color. i didn't hate it but i do wish there was a bit more of a pattern to it.
overall 4/5!! a phenomenal take on womanhood during ww2 that i appreciate so much <3 !!
