White Bird: The true meaning of fighting darkness with light.

A new month and new challenge have arrived and there was only one movie in my mind that I recently had the opportunity to watch on demand due to lasting only three days at a movie theater here in Mexico, which is really a shame because this “sequel” really put me to think about the past and the future, with all the darkness that is happening around the world.

I am highlighting “sequel” because as is difficult to believe, White Bird is in a fact a sequel to Wonder. In case you don't know, I am referring to the film that starred Julian Roberts on 2017 and grossed $ 315 million dollars worldwide from a budget of only $ 20 million. That is really a lot of money for a family film and a very well deserved. But sadly, White Bird could not even made it to $ 10 million, taking into account that it is a superior film and that it is more aware in inhuman rights and equality.

If you have not seen Wonder or you were unaware of R.J. Palacio’s books, don’t worry because aside from one or two references, White Bird stands by his own by showing us Julian Albans in his adolescence years instead of the kid we meet momentarily in the past film. Seeing him dealing with indifference in his life due to a problematic experience on his previous Beecher Prep is very rewarding thanks to a mature portrayal of Bryce Gheisar. Also it helps a lot having the great Helen Mirren by his side as Gillian Anderson does with Ariella Glaser and Orlando Schwerdt.

An amazing cast I must say, and one that really prepared for such demanding roles even if some had a lot more screen time than others. Either way, each of the performances were treated with the same importance, thus making it easier to identify with at least one of the four main characters. Well done.

Returning to the plot, Julian has decided no to get affected by anything, a conduct which I am very aware due to sharing the same thoughts when I was at that age. Even nowadays it is very difficult to be oneself, because any comment or any idea that you share could end up condemning you. So, what better than to stay silent, cross our arms and just look the other way. Don’t think, don’t talk, not even listen to the persons that are interested on connecting with you. It is better to be alone and stay alone, because in the end, nobody is going to help you when you need it most.

That is an awful truth, but not the whole truth as I rediscovered while watching this beautiful and emotional drama. R.J. Palacio does have a way with words, I must give her that, and Mark Bomback was aware of that when he took the mantle of creating the screenplay of which Marc Forster did a wonderful job directing it. Both filmmakers have a lot of experience after being credited for Finding Neverland, A Man Called Otto, Logan, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes… respectively.

Not an easy film to produce, because this is a complicated story to tell, and it doesn't matter if it was a box office failure compare to the first film, the heart of White Bird is still beating hard for you to really listened to the true meaning of the message, which relies on human relations, doing the right thing, helping people and above all, fighting darkness with light.

The main surprise is that this is not the story of Julian Albans, Auggie's best friend, this is the story behind his name, a name that not only have a meaning but a special connection to his grandmother who happened to be on town for a lecture about her artwork. It is during dinner where their believes are put to a test, a test of which we all need to go through to really see and understand how delicate life is when darkness is coming from all directions, even within us.

In order to change his grandson’s indifference, Julian’s grandmother decides to reveal her childhood as a young Jewish girl during Nazi-occupied France from 1942 to 1944. The retelling of this tale really ends up changing their minds, and specially ours which is really the main purpose of the film and book. That is why I insist on promoting and recommending this movie as you will discover on my final remarks.

Knowing Sara during those dark times was so intriguing because her behavior is not far from our reality. We may have the technology advancement and certain freedoms, but removing those commodities or “benefits” and then we are practically the same humans with cero knowledge of what is really happening in our surroundings, experts in judging and ignorants in the handling of our emotions.

Sara Blum only cares about her red shoes and passing time with her girlfriends. She is aware that one of his classmates, Julien Beaumier is being bullied due to having one of his legs congenitally paralyzed by poliomyelitis. Honestly, I can relate to that, due to suffering from a dyslexia problem from elementary school to middle or even high school. So, I know what it is to be in love with the prettiest girl in the class and not even had the slightest chance to get noticed by her when everybody is degrading you for something that you can't control.

Indeed, not a easy film to watch, but not for that reason but because unexpected or expected circumstances forces Sara to take refuge on Julien Family’s Barn. Just to think how one’s life drastically changes from one day to another. Thank whoever you believe in for not living under war, mostly when you are considered the enemy. Like I said before, it is easy to judge other people, specially for their past but believe when I say that the only thing that they want is for you to never experienced the hell that they went thought.

And not sharing those awful stories as to not being aware of it, is what causing the same darkness to keep putting our freedom to live our lives at risk. That is how fragile life is. I wonder if you have imagined living in such tragedy? For example, in Sara’s case, I don’t think I could last a whole day being locked in a barn. Not being able to raise my voice, take a bath or even eat food that I like. Having to be extra quiet to avoid detention, trying not to be scare all the time… it is a hard reality that some experience, even right now as we speak.

However, not everything is darkness and neither should be, because where there is evil, there is good and that is the purpose of White Bird, to show us that hope never dies even if our loved one did. Nothing goes unnoticed and nobody is really gone. Yes, darkness will always be staking us, still it is important to understand that fighting darkness with darkness is never the answer to fixing the problems of the world as it is happening right now in the land of the free.

I share Sara’s father beliefs about how kindness and empathy can truly make a huge difference, specially in the most difficult circumstances. We choose darkness because we let our fear get the worst of us, in simple words, we are afraid of things that we don’t understand and will never do until we turn to sympathy and then kindness to really help connect with the problem that in the end is ironically something that we all share but from a different point of view. Because that is exactly what this is, a different point of view.

Fighting darkness with light is the only way to ensure the future of humanity. That is the soul of White Bird, the true meaning and it really hurts that this movie is passing unnoticed. Therefore, if you arrived at the end of this article, please watch the film and follow it with a serious thought.. If possible, share this message because we really need to embrace the light from within to guarantee a peaceful and a friendly world for all of us.

We all deserve to live a good life and the freedom to live it as we want, as long as it does not cause any damage to our human brothers and sisters. Nevertheless, for that to happen we must be an example and let the light guide us from now on, and if possible, forever.

Thank you.