You, the Living

Is there a better way to try to explain humankind in its essence – all of the highs and lows, the joys and sorrows, the desire to love and be loved in return – than to combine 50 short stories about a multitude of aspects of life? Well, maybe yes, but nothing can come close to Roy Andersson's view of it. YOU, THE LIVING defies definition, classification, and at times, reason. More than a sum of all of its parts, this film will leave you questioning the importance of your existence. Throughout this existential journey, we meet housewives, criminals, girls with crushes, drunks at a bar, and dogs being dragged across a street. Elaborately staged and composed, as in Andersson's previous film, the award winning “Songs From the Second Floor,” each subsequent scene leaves the viewer longing for more answers, but delivers more questions. Andersson, living up to his reputation as a brilliant auteur, leaves it up to us how to interpret the meaning of the scenes, using our own lives as a guide. (In Swedish with English subtitles) – WFG