The film opens with the vivacious Amina (Sheth), owner of the Locomotion Café (a nod to the Whistle Stop Café of Fried Green Tomatoes, perhaps?), as she fixes up her shop. Amina dresses in men's clothing, defies the local police as they come in to harass the Africans working in the café, and generally takes no guff from anyone. Shortly thereafter, the viewer is introduced to Miriam (Ray), a pregnant, subservient housewife living with her family in nearby Cape Town. When her husband allows her to travel to the café one day, Miriam meets Amina, and the sparks (along with a few pastries) fly. Miriam soon moves to the countryside, and the ever-handy Amina offers to build a garden in her yard. Amina uses the experience to get to know Miriam, bonding over evening tea, discussing her grandmother (a rape victim who was thrown out of the family) and the oppression of marriage and apartheid. When Amina hints at her sexuality, testing the waters, Miriam is conflicted. Inspired by Amina's independent spirit but unsure of how to proceed, she stalls. Amina displays her nonconformist spirit at a family dinner — much to the chagrin of her traditional grandmother, who orchestrates the event to showcase Amina as a marriage prospect. And Amina again shows her stripes when she defies the police and protects Miriam's visiting sister-in-law from arrest, saving the day for Miriam's family. Miriam's own defiance and strength begin to surface when she tries to save an injured African man. Unfortunately, her husband doesn't share her progressive attitudes. He begins treating her with increasing paranoia and violence, even as he carries on an illicit affair with his brother's vampy wife. Throughout the drama, Amina and Miriam slowly fall for one another. The sexual tension and chemistry are palpable as long glances give way to lingering touches, and finally, a kiss. The central dramatic question from this moment forward pits Amina's boldness against Miriam's love for her family and her place in the world as she knows it: Can they ever make it work? The film is presented as both a slice of life and an epic romance — all within the context of a highly sexist, racist society. The drama runs thick, and the film provides commentary on everything from the oppression of marriage, rape, and sexism in Indian culture to racism in South African society. But The World Unseen manages to avoid buckling under its own weight, thanks to excellent performances and wonderful chemistry between the two leads. Sheth's Amina is amazingly buoyant and infinitely likable. She asserts her identity and fights for what she believes in without losing her cool or her playful sense of humor. Ray brings a wonderful strength to Miriam — despite her position as a submissive wife and mother — and there is a deep undercurrent of nerve and repressed force in her character. Other actors do admirably in their roles, especially David Dennis as Amina's kindly business partner Jacob. But this is definitely Ray and Sheth's show...." MY REVIEW How can you live in such a misogynistic place? The movie was literally shot in South Africa (based on the interview).The other movie they made focused on love and personal freedom while this movie is more women empowerment in a place and time where women were just plain housewives.In some sad cases,some women got pregnant through raped then treated as a whore, a social disgrace. Their life were just unimaginable. We are very privileged today.Good news is I think most countries have laws protecting women.But the problem is,some women were not that strong enough to fight for their rights.Even if the law is there to protect them,they refuse to be covered by it.They were still stuck in the old ways and forgot they are now in the modern century where parrots can talk and dogs can do household chores.You can't really save someone who don't want to be saved. It explains why Tara grew up very independent.She hated the idea of depending much on a man to live.She likes the idea of working and living for her own.She was a disgrace because she acts like a man.She run her own business.She wear pants instead of skirts.She don't have a husband because she's in love with a woman the first day she saw her.Unfortunately,the woman she fell in love with was married and have three kids.She knew that the woman she fell in love with feels the same way,only she was in deep fear of her husband and other people's judgement.She also wanted to be free from her domineering husband.She also wanted how to actually live.I don't know how she instantly sense it from the first time she saw her,I guess it's something she felt naturally.
Again,these two beautiful ladies filmed a beautiful movie.This time,it's not about pure lesbianism but it is about life,love and self existence.It's about existing and standing on your own feet and not in the shadow of fear and pain. The ending was interesting just like the other film.They left it open ended depending on how you would like to imagine how it ended. There are still some questions such as what happened after that confrontation? Did she left her husband for good? Did she took her kids with her? Where they expelled from their place? Did she finally came out and accepted her own self? No one knows.Coz obviously,they don't want to focus on the lesbianism part.They wanted to show the world the power of women and what they can do more than what they thought they can't.. Now this is what I call passion in film and LOVE in it's queer yet beautif
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