Love Knows No Borders

LOVE KNOWS NO BORDERS: INTERNATIONAL ROMANCES

design by: Alessio Philip Grain

Blind Date / Un Peu, Beaucoup, Aveuglément (France)

Dilwale Dhulania Le Jaenge (India)

Blind date isn’t your usual romcom. Upon moving into a Parisian apartment, a woman discovers she can hear every move her neighbour makes, through their adjoining wall. The man next door is not happy to have a neighbour and does everything in his power to drive her out, but this woman isn’t like his past neighbours. She won’t be gotten rid of easily.

The story that follows is unexpected, refreshing and very funny: from a sound war to blind dates, this film takes us through all the stages of a very unusual, blossoming romance. The relationship between the film’s lead characters develops through the wall of their apartments, without them seeing each other face to face, giving the film the heart-warming moral that love really is blind. Backed up by hilarious side characters and unorthodox direction, this sometimes slapstick, romantic comedy sets itself apart from everyday Hollywood romcoms, but don’t let its slapstick nature fool you.

Director Clovis Cornillac creates rich backstories for his unnamed main characters, earning it the Best First Film award at the 2015 Cabourg Film Festival. You’ll grow to love Who’s it and What’s it, as they about the struggles they have each faced. As the characters connect with each other through the wall that separates them, the chemistry is clear, so get ready to feel all the feels. Bitter arguments become wholesome heart-to-hearts, and hate turns to love. You’ll be rooting for them to break down the wall in no time.

words by: Summer Griffin

Bollywood has always been known for its dramatic story lines. One film, which has not only won the hearts of millions but was also shown in Mumbai for almost twenty-five years, is Dilwale Dhulania Le Jaenge. An iconic film full of sunflowers, love and ukuleles, the movie laid the foundation for every onscreen love story which followed.

The story begins with rich and spoiled boy Raj, who bluffs a supermarket owner to grab some drinks and sets off on a trip to Europe. On the other hand, obedient girl Simran, who loves her family, dearly convinces her father to send her on a trip to Europe with her friends. That’s where the story kicks off, and the two meet on a train and instantly have a spark. They fall in love while travelling around Europe, and upon returning to India, Simran tells her father about Raj, and they set up a meeting. When Raj visits Simran, he instantly identifies her father as the owner of the supermarket he had bluffed. Simran’s father disapproves of Raj as he affectionately call each other, through learning

has a tainted character. Raj promises to prove his worthiness of Simran’s love. This marks the onset of the second half of the movie, where he tries to impress Simran’s family.

Gradually things turn in favour of Raj, and the end showcases the most iconic scene where Raj boards the train and Simran’s father isn’t ready to leave her hand. Simran wails, begging her father to let her go, and the train starts moving. Simran’s father lets her hand go, and she runs to board the train with Raj. This movie is unlike any Hollywood movie as it has plenty of drama, a peppy soundtrack and a beautifully directed and produced plot. The movie gives a glimpse into Indian Culture and Bollywood Cinema!

A Moment in the Reeds (Finland)

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (India)

two men - a student coming home from studying abroad, and an immigrant looking for some cash, in a cottage by a Finnish lake. Days filled with hard work and secrecy.

Leevi and Tareq seem to have nothing in common - either in the way they look, work and show love. It gives out a lot of Brokeback Mountain vibes. In the same way it observes men in the “wild” engaging in physical labour who do not know how to be together despite a tone of sexual tension between them.

Is it a romantic comedy? Well, technically no. Watching this piece is a very frustrating experience. First and foremost, it is unpredictable - unlike most Hollywood productions that tend to follow a certain scheme. At almost two hours long, it makes the audience wait for what seems to be forever for the characters to resolve the built up tension - just so they can start accumulating it again. It makes you sad and angry at them both, as well as the world that refuses to become a home to everyone without division. However, at the same time, I could not stop laughing at the clumsiness and awkwardness which made both men so relatable.

Someone might think that since Finland is a very progressive country, Leevi would not have any problems with coming out. Well, the truth is that in every culture conservative, harmful points of view are introduced to young people. Thus, this film shows that we all are on our way to find personalised versions of freedom and that no matter where you are from - you can struggle with internalised homophobia. It’s parents’ duty to make their kids feel loved.

A Moment in the Reeds is a calm and intimate film with aesthetically pleasing shots which will fulfil your desire for an emotional rollercoaster.

words by: Maja Metera

yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, starring the most attractive and most loved combination of all time, Deepika Padukone and Ranbeer Kapoor, enticed the watchers and left the audience captivated.

The protagonist, Naina Talwar (Padukone), and Kabir Thapar famously referred to as ‘Bunny’ (Kapoor) meet on a trekking trip to Manali in Himachal Pradesh in India.

Naina is a simple girl pursuing a medical degree, while Bunny is an ambitious young man who wants to travel the world and experience as many adventures as he can. Naina and Bunny are polar opposites in personality and yet gel well together. The two have known each other since school but got close during the the trek years later, where Naina fell in love with him but did not express it because she wanted to settle down and be a doctor. She was selfless in her decision to not express her true feelings. Their romance is rekindled years later after reuniting at their mutual best friend’s big fat Indian wedding.

One of my favourite scenes is when Naina and Bunny climb the mountain at dawn, where Kabir finally confides his ambitions, dreams and desires. He says, “Main udna chahta hun, daudna chahta hun, girna bhi chahta hun, Bas rukna nahi chahta.” It translates to, “I want to fly, I want to run, I want to fall too, but I never want to stop.” This shows that he never wants to stop chasing his dreams.

If you like beautiful sceneries and locations, along with some fun filled moments with your buddies and quirky, witty but meaningful dialogues, believe me, this is the movie for you. This movie has truly inspired me for the last seven years and I’ll never get tired of watching it over and over again.

words by: Shubhangi Dua