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By Avleen Anand Picture Courtesy: IMDB Trust me, this is not what you think it is! Also, have faith that it is more than what you think it is. Don't get confused, I am just trying to play with words and sentences here. As literally I am falling short of words for this amazing masterpiece.
I am so glad that how our professor subtly pulled us to the Indie Cork film Festival to witness 90 minutes of inspiring cinema along with q&a with the woman in the poster. My classmates and I went for this in order to get some brownie points from our professor (naive brain, honestly) but we came back learning a lot about many things which as a casual viewer we might ignore or just get lost in our world with a snap. The best part of being a film student lies exactly how one critically view the cinema and ask question to himself/herself that do I really want to be a filmmaker! You ask crazy questions when you see something that is beyond your brain's potential and Philip Fussenegger, Dino Osmanovic mastered this craft very well. How beautifully the narrative has been constructed in an observational documentary style, following the journey of African American bodybuilder Tischa Thomas and how she defied all the norms of the society and created her own reality, her new Avatar. From being obese to female bodybuilder, the path wasn't an easy one, but she did it.... It is not easy to come on camera and share your story and be vulnerable!!! One member from the audience asks her the same "how did you feel with camera all around you, was it hard?" To this she replied," It was awkward in the beginning, but then I get used to it eventually. I want my story to be heard and seen by both men and women and understand a viewpoint which we wanted to convey through this film." Being a woman in a society full of preconditioned expectations, few get swayed during the process and others just go against it. In times like these, are we really supposed to follow what has been set for us on the plate or should we change the plate, probably people around us!!!!! Tischa, the protagonist in the film reminds us to be fearless, be disciplined towards your dreams, chase them, fulfil them, be everything that life has to offer. At the age of 47, she is a mother a grandmother and a female bodybuilder, living her life on her own terms, surrounded by people and to mention her best friend Edward Zahler who has been there as a constant support (honestly, we all rooted for them, sshhh). People who could understand her vision of herself and meet her at the same vibe. Her struggles, her fears were evident Infront of us, also her dedication and her love for freedom and independence. My question to you is, as a viewer what will you choose? How do you see yourself? The questions will be endless, but they will give you a sense of relief in the end that, at least you know something about yourself. The tigress roar for her life, vision and each one of us who felt that the society and its pressure has done enough damage and it's time to get yourself back and CREATE YOUR OWN REALITY and yet again she asks herself and you, " did you like what you created?"
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