The film Never Look Away (2018) is based on the biography of Gerhard Richter. Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, the film is a historical drama about the life stages of the German artist.
What is the movie Never Look Away about?
What is the film Never Look Away about: the meaning of the film. The film tells about the life of Kurt Barnert. The childhood years of the German artist were spent under the Nazi regime. In his youth, Kurt Barnert encountered the communist system. A huge imprint on the entire future life of the artist was left by the history of the existence of his aunt Elizabeth. A woman in 1937 ended up in a psychiatric hospital. A relative was given a disappointing diagnosis of schizophrenia in the summer. Fate was too cruel to Elizabeth. The following events from her biography inspire fear and horror.
After the end of hostilities, Kurt Barnert was enrolled in the Art Academy. At the educational institution, the future famous artist met Ellie. The hero immediately liked the charming student. According to him, it was love at first sight. But Kurt did not even assume that Professor Zeband, who was an active participant in the Nazi euthanasia program, was Ellie’s father. The country was dominated by a regime in which the hero had to create his works in the style of “socialist realism”.
Kurt Barnert did not like this situation. Together with Ellie, the artist decided in 1961 to move to the West. But even here it was not without problems and troubles. The hero had to “seek” himself again and create in a new direction for himself.
The meaning of the film Never Look Away
If a person has talent, he will definitely show himself. No one and nothing can keep the unique great master from new works, new achievements. He will try, fail, fall, get up and move on, regardless of obstacles and difficulties. Even if the whole world is against him. A talented person shows art through his vision.
The German artist did not want to put up with the current regime. He knew it could cost him his life, but he took the risk anyway. The artist fled to West Germany. The hero follows his dream. In life, he has a goal – to study at an art school. He wants to create, guided by his own instinct.
In the film Never Look Away there is a romantic line. The guy fell in love. But when meeting his future father-in-law, the hero realized that East Germany was again overtaking him, invading his life. Ellie’s father turned out to be a cruel man with a terrible past. A talented creative person has a vulnerable soul, he is very sensitive to all events. How can the hero calmly and with dignity accept the frightening information that has fallen on him?
A touching emotional story showed how difficult it was to survive in difficult conditions. And it was even more difficult for people of art. They overreacted when they were forbidden to create or dictate terms. Talented individuals need freedom of expression. The film Never Look Away is saturated with drama. The viewer is constantly following the sincere feelings and emotions that the characters demonstrate on the screen.
It cannot be said that this film tells the true biography of one of the most famous German artists. However, Gerhard Richter lived such a vibrant and eventful life that it turned out to be an incredibly exciting film. The stages of existence that befell the hero are impressive. It is no coincidence that the film Never Look Away was nominated for an Oscar in two categories at once.
The film is replete with metaphors, epithets, colorful comparisons. Never Look Away is not a consistent boring story about the life stages of a famous artist. This is a tape consisting of plot twists, interesting denouements, unexpected meetings and events. Some may think that the film is a bit long. But it’s not. While watching Never Look Away, the film seems to charge the audience with its energy. Three hours go by very quickly. At the end, there is a pleasant aftertaste, satisfaction from what he saw.
The actors of the tape are practically unknown to the mass audience. But it does not matter much, because all the artists gave their best. All characters are verified, not a single detail is missed. The meaning of the film Never Look Away is for the viewer to understand the power of the artistic word of a person who cannot imagine his life without art.
The motion picture covered three historical periods in Germany. The viewer looks at the events taking place around him through the eyes of a young, reliable artist Kurt. In the paintings of the great master, not only his personal fate can be traced, but also the tragedy of the whole generation. Vital strong film Never Look Away shows how important it is for a creative person to feel and feel free.
The abstract artist was looking for his truth not in social terms, but in artistic terms. He dreamed of portraying people who have passed through the prism of time. However, he created in his own unique style. That is why the work of this master is so highly valued. A serious complex movie for those who like to think, analyze, compare events. A strong film about a strong man.
