"The Bridge"

Yesterday I watched a Live Action Short that grabbed my attention and has had me thinking about my own willingness to sacrifice for the good of others. "Most" has been nominated or won many awards including:

Academy Awards 2004: Nominated for Best Live-Action Short ~ MOST (The Bridge)Sundance Film Festival 2003: Official SelectionPalm Springs International 2003: Winner ~ Best of FestivalMaui Film Festival 2003: Winner ~ Best Short Film; Audience Award ~ Best NewcomersHeartland Film Festival 2003: Winner ~ Crystal Heart Award

Most is the Czech word for the Bridge and is a fantastic film. It is shot almost entirely in the Czech language with some minor english parts therefore the film is subtitled for the Czech language impaired like myself.

This film portrays a beautiful relationship between a single father and his son (about 8 or 9 years old). This relationship is one of mutual love and respect. they have learned to rely on one another and their lives are intricately intertwined. The father is a draw bridge operator and his son asks him one night if he can come to work with him. The father says yes and picks him up from school the next day with all the necessary items his son would need to stay occupied while at the bridge. There is another player in this drama as well. A young Czech woman, desperate and living a hopeless life. We see a scene where her sister begs her to come home and comments how she is not the same person she used to be. She refuses and goes on her way to later board a train bound for some uncertain destination. We later see the reason for the change in her is the result of drug use.

The day is going well. The boy is fishing and the father is going about his work occassionally checking on his son and enjoying the sight of him working hard to cast the line just right. The father goes off to another area to check some of the equipment when the boy notices that the train is coming far to early and the bridge is up having made way for a passing barge. Calling loudly to his father he is unable to get his attention and determines that he himself will lower the bridge to avoid the impending disaster. The father then notices the train approaching and first looks for his son who was going t help him lower the bridge. Suddenly he notices his son fall into the gear assembly that raises and lowers the bridge. Unable to reach both his son to get him out and lower the bridge in time to avoid the collision, he makes a fateful choice and begins to lower the bridge. He runs down to the rail line just in time to watch the faces of those who were on the train pass by. As each car passes he looks at the faces that pass almost to say, "Do you not know what was just done for you." In agony he weeps uncontrollably but noone notices save one--the desperate young woman. She was the only one who saw the man and the act that saved the train. In this scene she was about to shoot drugs into her body but having witnessed such an act she drops the poison presumably never to use again.

Later we see the man carrying his dead son down the tracks still in dispair clinging to him tightly. He leaves that town to begin a new life elsewhere believing that he will learn something from this journey. Later while in this new town he sees that same young woman from the train window only now she is clean, happy and holding a young child of her own. The little one looks at the man and smiles as does the woman. Joy comes to the once distraught father and he sees the result of his sacrifice. The film ends with the man holding his hands high in the air as he comes to believe that his son did not die needlessly.

"What will it take to change a life?" is the question on the website of this film short. We see a glimpse of the extent to which our God was willing to go to save the lives of his creation. The sacrifice of the incarnation was made on our behalf for our salvation. I attempted to place myself in that father's shoes; would I sacifice my son to save the lives of so many others. I cannot say that my choice would have been the same given I have never faced such a trial. I adore my boys and seek to love them with the same unfailing love as God. I would like to say that my actions would be the same. I would like to say that love for God and love for others would compel me to act unselfishly toward those who would perish even if it meant the loss of someone I love so dearly. I would like to say it, but I would not want to throw words around carelessly. This love is one that is demonstrated only in the doing, not with mere words. I pray I would act so selflessly towards the world. This is my journey ultimately, to have the same attitude, love and servant nature as Christ. I pray I am never confronted with such a choice. Praise God for his loving mercy and grace towards us. I would commend this 33 minute film short to you for your own consideration. Grace and Peace.