Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

- Life through the eyes of a child

When the Oscar Nominations were anounced a couple of days ago, there were - as usual - some surprises ... but this time also of the positive kind. From some critics you could even read that the Academy had done a pretty good job this year. The members showed a lot of love for Haneke's "Amour" but even more interesting was to see the indie hit "Beasts of the Southern Wild" being particularly strong in the major categories. Whether that happened by accident or conscious decision, either way the nominations are not undeserved.

The film had been a crowd pleasing festival hit before and got a lot of critical acclaim as well. Now it recieved nods in four categories including 'Best Film', 'Best Writing' and 'Best Director'. Underdog Benh Zeitlin unexpectedly took the fifth spot amongst the directors and kicked obvious candidates like Kathryn Bigelow, Quentin Tarantino and Ben Affleck, who just won the Golden Globe in this discipline, out of the race. The biggest revelation though is the adoreable actress Quvenzhané Wallis who apparently lied about her age to enter the audition for the film. She was five when she got the role and now, she is the youngest actress ever nominated for an Academy Award.

Her powerful lead performance is the heart of the film. She plays Hushpuppy, a tough and headstrong young girl with a peculiar, unique understanding of life. Together with her father she is living in a place called "Bathtub", a wilderness surrounded by water, depending on self-supply and always threatened by weather and flooding. The community of the Lousiana bayou is one sworn in family. They proudly call this place "home" and they enjoy their way of life. At the beginning of the film there is a wild party that let's us forget about the raw environment for a moment and dive into a lively, joyous spectacle that this place offers aside from all the rough times.

It's hard to imagine a living in the swamp, the modest barracks, in a room with all the animals and - in the case of our protagonist - even without a mother. The girl's mummy "swam away" so she believes. She knows quite a lot about life and death already but she embellishes and expands it with her own fantasy to grasp it. Little Hushpuppy may look weak and vulnerable but is a fearless girl with ernormous presence in front of the camera and an unswerving look in her eyes that would make "Richard Parker" from "Life of Pi" instantly run away ... or swim for that matter. Other than the tiger Hushpuppy is used to all the water around her. She was born in the area and grew up accepting these unbelievable living conditions as part of her little world.

Her father is doing everything he can to prepare his daughter for the future. Their relationship is the central conflict. Sometimes he seems to be rude but it is all for her own good. All the lessons he has taught her must assure that she is able to get through this life without him. He wants her to be able to care for herself, he wants her to be ready for the storm.

And there is a storm coming, literally. Together the people of Bathtub fight the forces of nature and other threats personified by government officials who urge them to leave their homes. Big challenges for a young child, but she stands up against it with the believe that everything in this world is somehow connected and even the smallest thing can make a difference and have great effect. Hushpuppy's innocence is loveable. Things can be so simple when seen through the eyes of a child. It's a warm-hearted story that breaks life down to the essence and shows what is important. Being there for the people you love, staying true to yourself and defend what is yours. Wealth, luxury all that doesn't exist in Hushpuppy's world and she is not missing anything of that.

In a wider context there is also political undercurrent to find if you want to. The subplot about a enforced displacement and up-to-date climate change issues hint on the conflict between industrialized countries and less developed countries. While the advanced countries exploit nature and are responsible for its decay and the effects that has on all people, they also enforce their ideology on the developing parts of the world and force them to adapt to their way of life. But there is a different rhythm playing in a place like Bathtub. The people don't want to leave. They would not just give up.

Neither would Hushpuppy. All the subtext aside it is her story. It is her rise to a member of this society who is willing to fight for it. The visualization of her change in the film's climax is as original as it is thrilling. It is set up a long time before. At the inevitable face off it comes down to Darwin's rule about the survival of the fittest. Hushpuppy is right up there and able compete. So is the film.

TRAILER:
Watch the Trailer for 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' on Youtube