The Survival of Kindness

Guided by a black woman, escaping death and her cell, situated at the heart of the desert, choosing to move towards life (or whatever goodness remains of it), Rolf de Heer invites us on an allegorical journey to the end of the world. It’s a phantasmagorical and undeniably unique experience, far removed from any eschatological counterpart we’ve witnessed on the big screen. The anonymous heroine-symbol will move forward with empathy for the vulnerable and contempt for the powerful who continue to share the spoils of a ravaged planet. As for the veteran director hailing from Australia, he surpasses himself and his recurring thematic starting point (racism against Aboriginal people) with a film that is universal, symbolically profound, and keenly attuned to the incomparable grandeur of Nature in the face of humanity's self-destructive shortsightedness. It culminates in a finale that promises to divide the audience.