belonging

Walking Between Worlds, Belonging to None - The Ann Andrews Story
$19.95
I thought the content was fascinating. However, all that loud noise at the beginning of each DVD produced by the company is irritating and unnecessary. It was "home movie" quality and I had difficulty hearing what was said. I recommend this just for the content. Maybe reading the book would be a better choice though.

Belonging
$19.98
Brenda Blethyn's understated performance is amazing as a woman who goes through the shocking ordeal of being unexpectedly abandoned by her husband when it seemed the marriage was idyllic. The emotions she goes through, from the initial confusion when her husband doesn't return home one night, to the worry over the next couple of days, to the shock when told he was seen with another woman, to the anger and grief when he confesses to her...and then to eventual acceptance at the end is all very convincing from this great actress. As her husband leaves her to care for HIS three aging relatives (mother, great-aunt and cousin)she does it all without the slightest complaint...in fact it's something she's always enjoyed doing, but the fact that she's now given no choice in the matter adds to her turmoil of emotions. Through it all, she handles everything with a grace and dignity that not many people would be capable of, even going as far as having her husband, his younger girlfriend and her two children over for tea. There are several interesting scenes that indicate she's at least thought of some alternatives ways of dealing with everything...thoughts of getting rid of the "oldies" as they're called, and even thoughts of suicide. But, as most of us would do, she presses on day by day, waiting to see if she'll ever be able to accept and move on. This was a simple and understated film that's definitely worth a couple of hours of your time.

Belonging: Bonds of Healing and Recovery
$14.95
I found the authors' persernal perspective very enlightening. Many of the things that keep us from being "fully alive" come from the same kinds of wounds, that healing and recovery can address.

Belonging: New Poetry by Iranians Around the World (Scala Translation)
$18.95
That goes lemon lemon to the orange...

Niloufar Talebi has done a tremendous, unprecedented service to the English speaking world with this collection of contemporary poetry, with such skilled translation, from a culture so steeped in poetic tradition and culture. The title of the book, Belonging, with its second sense emphasis on Longing for a homeland from which they've been exiled, is very indicative of the collection. The poetry flows from love to the plight of women in modern Iran to this tragedies of the Revolution to the emotions of displacement. Though I don't know Persian, the fact that the English lines sing and breathe with such power and grace is testament to Talebi's translation expertise.

I also had the privilege of seeing her multi-media theatrical component of the poetry, ICARUS/RISE. I highly suggest you check it out on the web at the translationproject dot org.