Mismatched sock – “The best orchestra in the world”, dir. Henning Backhaus

Wherever we go, we hear that dreams come true. We can achieve everything only if we work hard and believe in our own possibilities. These two conditions can work a miracle. What can we do when we achieve them but people represent an obstacle?

The main character of The best orchestra in the world wants to become contrabassist in Vienna State Opera. Despite adversities and his small posture he doesn’t give up and he wants to make his dream come true. His music is beautiful, it evokes enormous emotions, it fills up the jury with a new energy. The problem occurs when the committee finds out about Ingbert’s true colours. His appearance changes everything because he is… a sock – they’re not able to accept it.

 

 

Henning Backhaus shows that nothing has changed over the years. The discrimination still rules the world in XXI century. The metaphor is clear-cut – we are still scared of disparity and we don’t want to this to interfere in some way in the space we know well.

The director presents us the film which explicitly shows modern relations between people. There is no place for friendship or acceptance. We don’t want to help others even if we are in the same situation, because we risk our position or being rejected by the community. The director of Vienna State Opera is also a sock but he mocks Ingbert for comparing himself to him.

At the beginning the scenes entertain, they seem absurd when it appears that the musician is a sock puppet. With every minute the tone becomes more serious. Eventually, this short film evokes in the viewers deep reflections about currently ruling tolerance which is only an empty slogan at times.

 

Agnieszka Nowicka

 

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