Sanctuary
I have just come from the cinema back to my flat after seeing the film Sanctuary(2016) directed by Len Collin and I have never left a theater feeling so hopeful for the world in terms of acceptance and understanding. I believe everyone should see this film as it reminds me of a way lighter, more wholesome One flew over the cuckoo’s nest — yet when I write that out, it does not seem right as the characters in this film have really nothing in common with the characters of One flew over the cuckoos nest other than a basic plot line where the characters are supposed to be at a function or place and decide to go adventuring instead. The place is the cinema, where Tom their caretaker leaves with two of the characters to lead them to a hotel so they can be together alone. This leaves the rest of the group alone to their own devices.
During this adventuring we see a man get drunk for the first time, a man be with a woman for the first time, stories about consent, kindness and realization in a movie theater, getting high for the first time in a park, and my favorite plot point where two characters with intellectual disabilities are walking around a mall alone and come up to this stand with accessories on it. The woman who owns the stand lets them try stuff on, the girl going for a tiara and the guy for a silver chain. Meanwhile, there has been a security guard following them around the whole mall, so the character goes up on a stool right next to the guard and takes the chain off his neck and places it onto his, then hugs him. This small act of kindness then leads to both main characters, the shop owner and the security guard to deck themselves out in chains, hats and sunglasses with a jump-cut to them singing karaoke in the middle of the mall.
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Another important plot line was when all the characters are led by their caretaker Tom to the hotel room another two characters are staying at where they accidentally shut the door on one of the women. This women had mentioned earlier in the movie that she wanted to go to a Christmas themed amusement park, so she does. The next scene shows her walking through the amusement park interested in her surroundings, but not involving herself in them until she spots a group of teenage boys holding skateboards, smoking and drinking at a park bench which she walks up to. I think this is a very important scene because in my head my mind immediately was fearful for her safety, which is no fault of my own as I have rarely seen people with intellectual disabilities in films and the ones I have seen them in they are not put into a good or independent light. This scene in another movie could have gone differently, but the next time you see them she is drinking a beer and smokes her first joint and is just hanging out like a normal teenager.
I love that this film brings to light the idea of people with intellectual disabilities having independence and structure as well, yet the issue of choice was brought up quite heavily within this film as the topics of sex, drugs, alcohol and consent come up throughout the story within multiple plot lines. I think this film was so enlightening for me to watch as I have not dealt with people with these specific disabilities. My father has learning disabilities of some sorts that I do not know as he has not been tested, but I found so much of him within this movie; the fact that he finds joy in the small things, getting excited over movies and candy, simple work tasks, the overwhelming happiness and joy he brings out in anyone he talks to and his huge heart. I also can relate to the characters in some ways such as going through the experiences they did, like drinking and smoking for the first time or loving action movies filled with explosions and rolling heads and questioning why I do not look like the women placed on the screen before us or that certain things like having sex isn’t how it really is in the movies.
Overall, the actors and actresses in this film are wonderful and talented, the sound editing and music within this film is appropriate and beautiful, and the directing is absolutely fantastic as Len Collin helps us viewers catch the most important details while also helping us grasp the larger concepts that are seen within the grand scheme of life. 11/10.
