Be My Brother Essay

Words: 950
Pages: 4

Belonging and alienation is the process of being either excluded or accepted by the society in which you live. Belong is a human conception,mostly considered a fundamental human need and a source of survival, safety, protection and happiness. To belong is usually considered positive and essential for a successful existence:however a negative sense of belonging:found among the displaced, marginalised and uncared for can lead to many social, filial and personal problems that can be almost insurmountable for the individual. The short trop fest film “Be My Brother” by Genevieve Clay 2009, represents these ideas through the films central characters. The film deals with society and people with disabilities feeling displaced within society due to …show more content…
The extreme long shot at the beginning of the film reflects the setting, as Richard is disconnected from society. The blur of the background enhances Richards loneliness and societies prejudice against people with disabilities. Furthermore, the aspect of displacement can be manifested in the segment where Damien is sitting by himself at the bus stop and Richard is standing up, expressing his point. The major quote Richard plays in his audio recording “I am what I am, I can’t change that, my brother doesn’t seem to understand, he seems like he doesn’t want to be near me, I seem to always embarrass him and I don’t like to be ignored!” shows evidence of self-expression where Richard seeks to be accepted by his brother and society. Anger and disappointment emerges within the audio recording which shows Richards frustration towards his brother, creating tension and indicating family breakdown. However, Damien experiences a change of heart when he is unable to pay his bus fare. Richard steps in and pays the driver. The long shot used in this scene culminates Damien’s feelings towards his brother, creating a journey as he walks down the narrow bus path towards his brother and he is thinking and taking into account what his brother did for him and how he has treated his brother. The notions of anger, resentment and embarrassment slowly fade away as he takes off his hoodie and Richard hugs him. This important factor leads to acceptance with his brother and the formation of a