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And the Pain Remains

Name: And the Pain Remains
Director: Vladimir Talevski
Released: 2016
Duration: 14 min

Representation Score

7.4/10

Good

2016

Director

Vladimir Talevski

Runtime

14 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

And the Pain Remains creates a rich, multi-faith atmosphere by integrating diverse religious and national identities into a single ceremonial event. The presence of various clergy and diplomats disrupts cultural homogeneity. However, the film remains limited by a narrow focus on a male protagonist and a lack of explicit engagement with LGBTQ+ themes. The narrative’s strength lies in its historical and religious plurality rather than social subversion. Ultimately, the film offers a nuanced look at collective memory through a cross-cultural lens, even if it does not actively address broader multi-layered identities.

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Category Breakdown

Does And the Pain Remains have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film does not include any explicit depictions of LGBTQ+ identities or dynamics that challenge the assumption that everyone is straight. It focuses on historical remembrance and individual legacies rather than queer themes.

How does And the Pain Remains portray gender?

Fair

The story centers on a male protagonist named Jean Batiste Valerie. While it avoids traditional masculine clichés by emphasizing his physical frailty, the lack of prominent female characters limits gender diversity.

How racially and ethnically diverse is And the Pain Remains?

Good

The film showcases ethnic and religious plurality through its setting. By including Orthodox, Catholic, and Muslim clergy, it avoids a monolithic cultural experience and presents a cross-cultural encounter.

How does And the Pain Remains represent religion and culture?

Good

A multi-faith, multi-national ceremony challenges singular morality. The inclusion of various diplomatic and religious figures suggests a complex view of historical consequence and collective memory.

Does And the Pain Remains include disability representation?

Fair

The protagonist is defined by advanced age and physical fragility. The narrative gives ability to act to this elderly character, positioning him as a central figure in a quest for continuity.

Present on Screen

Strong religious and ethnic plurality through the inclusion of Orthodox, Catholic, and Muslim clergy.
A cross-cultural setting that avoids a strictly Western-centric perspective.
A humanistic portrayal of aging that subverts traditional masculine clichés of strength.

Limited or Absent

Lack of explicit representation or engagement with LGBTQ+ identities.
Limited gender diversity due to the absence of prominent female characters.
Minimal focus on themes beyond historical remembrance and individual legacy.

Official Synopsis

100 years since the beginning of First World War. Locality - French cemetery in Bitola. State protocol. There are deputies, ministers, ambassadors, military attaches, consuls, honorary consuls, media present - Priests - Orthodox, Catholic, Muslim. - Military band. Jean Batiste Valerie, an old man of about 77 years of age, arrives in Bitola for the first time. Tiny, petite, with thin and gray hair, arrives late at the sad ceremony held in honor of the fallen French soldiers in the First World War. According to correspondence and information from the French army, his predecessor with the same name and surname must be located somewhere nearby. The ceremony had already begun.

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