Directed by Stefan Djordjevic, the docufiction film “Wind, Talk to Me” presents an unconventional account of grief, taking viewers on a poignant and often bewildering journey to comprehend the loss of Djordjevic's mother. Rather than adhering to a linear narrative, Djordjevic's film embraces the disjointedness and blurry recollections of grief, revealing how seemingly mundane details can often eclipse monumental events in our memories.
The film is a unique blend of diary-like documentation and creative fictionalization, appealing to viewers with its humor and familiar portrayal of family interactions. A conversation between Djordjevic and his mother, in which she speaks of the human ability to control the wind, becomes a throughout motif in the narrative, indicative of the director's growing connection with nature following his mother's death.
The film also introduces his relatives, who provide a grounded perspective to Djordjevic's more philosophical musings, and their gatherings form part of a healing process. The family meets for the first time since his mother's death for his grandmother's 80th birthday and also visits the cabin where his mother spent her last year, triggering a mixture of joy and sorrow.
However, the family gathering is not deprived of tension. Notable conflicts include Djordjevic's hurt response to his grandmother washing one of his mother's old dresses, reflecting the struggle of clinging to tangible memories of the deceased. His brother Bosko opts for silence in the film, underlining that grieving often requires time.
The narrative takes a fictional turn when Djordjevic hits a dog with his car and eventually adopts it. Named Lija, the initially defensive dog gradually warms to Djordjevic's tenderness, serving as a metaphor for the healing capacities of grief. The film ends with a filmed conversation between Djordjevic and his mother, exuding affection and the discomfort of an impending separation.
The film had its premiere in the Tiger competition section of the Rotterdam festival, and promises to make a significant impact on the festival circuit due to its emotive power and the resonance of its themes.
