The Tribe

The Tribe is an inventive, unique, and groundbreaking drama film from 2014, directed and written by Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy. This film features a talented cast of mostly deaf non-professional actors, including Hryhoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, and Rosa Babiy, who all deliver hauntingly powerful performances.

The narrative revolves around its protagonist, Sergey (Hryhoriy Fesenko), a young deaf boy who gets admitted into a boarding school for the deaf. However, he soon finds out that this institution is more of a brutal and sin-filled community than an educational haven. Apart from chronicling Sergey's daily high school life, the film also offers a devastating view of survival in a society where communicating through sign language is the only way to engage.

Fiercely original and challenging, The Tribe defies common film paradigms by presenting the entire script in Ukrainian sign language, with the ambit of the project marking it as an alienating but gripping spectacle. Just as the characters can't hear, the audience can't understand their sign language. There are no subtitles or voice-overs to aid in comprehension. It's an immersive experience, pushing the audience to an understanding based on visual context, body language, and emotional expression alone.

This leads the audience on a paradoxical journey. On one hand, the process of guessing inscrutable conversations creates a certain distance. On the other hand, this very same process enables a deep, profound connection with the emotions and emotional vulnerability of the characters. It reminds viewers of our primal, pre-verbal instincts, and the universalness of nonverbal cues and emotions.

Hryhoriy Fesenko, starring as Sergey, delivers commendable performance despite this being his debut movie. The young actor's performance, paired with haunting storytelling, results in a character study that's simply unforgettable. The female lead, Yana Novikova, matches Fesenko stride for stride in a deficit role that requires complete commitment. The rest of the cast, composed mainly of inexperienced actors, put forth an equally compelling performance.

Set within the bleak and harsh exteriors of Ukraine, the film is brought to life through the lens of cinematographer, Valentyn Vasyanovych. His long unbroken takes and unflinchingly steady shots result in a highly realistic style that mirrors the stark reality of this brutal world. The camera work plays a significant role in lending an eerie silence to the entire film, replacing verbal dialogues with visual cues.

Slaboshpytskiy's extensive background in crime documentaries clearly shines through as he crafts a harsh tale of brutality, power dynamics, and resilience. His exceptional directing skills keep the audience in a perpetual state of tension, and his screenplay is gripping despite the absence of any spoken words. The director uses ‘cinéma vérité’ style, making the movie feel more like an observational documentary than fictional cinema. The effect is not always comfortable but is consistently compelling and memorable.

Despite its austere narrative, The Tribe is steeped in political and social commentary and delves into universal themes. It underscores the survival of the fittest theme quite literally and explores issues of power, violence, love, sex, rebellion, and exploitation. Even though the movie is set in a very specific community, the themes are universal and connect to broader human experiences.

Furthermore, the director’s decision to use deaf and mute actors is not a simple gimmick but is integral to the movie’s central themes. It portrays the world of the marginalized, where the lack of sound is metaphorically synonymous with the characters' inability to voice out against their oppressive circumstances.

Ultimately, The Tribe is an extraordinary film that leaves the audience pondering and engaged long after the screen has faded to black. It reminds audiences of the power of cinema in creating empathy and offering new perspectives. Engaging, thoughtful, and confrontational, this film offers a unique and uncomfortably real viewing experience. With its raw ambition, The Tribe stands out as a powerful piece of work that pushes cinematic boundaries. Despite its unique mode of storytelling, or perhaps because of it, The Tribe manages to captivate, and leaves audience awe-struck and their minds reeling.