Writing in his book “The Wasted Vigil,” author Nadeem Aslam once said simply, but perfectly, “pull a thread here and you’ll find it’s attached to the rest of the world.” The new drama “Until the Birds Return,” seems to directly draw from the author’s sentiments, but with a tethering never quite as inspiring as the original text. Brimming with post-modern musings, ‘Birds’ (“En attendant les hirondelles”) explores modern-day Algeria with past and present generations coalescing to form three loosely connected stories: a wealthy property developer and his wife, a young woman torn between Arab tradition and her own ambitions, and a neurologist haunted by “wartime wrongdoings.” With these three vignettes, “Until the Birds Return” attempts to submerge its viewers into the heart of a contemporary Arab society while illustrating the mutuality of human existence.
READ MORE: 14 Movies To See In April
Making his full-length directorial debut, Algerian director Karim Moussaoui explores the interconnectivity of life, but to an unfulfilled extent. Within “Until the Birds Return,” Moussaoui weaves these narratives and their respective moral dilemmas together with the intent of depicting how these individuals deal with their hyper-traditional culture and those coexisting within it.
However, as an anthology film, “Until the Birds Return” lacks any sense of cohesion to bear this description. In reality, these narratives closer resemble fragmented character moments, with each individual story lacking proper conclusions. As ambivalence and unresolved stories ineffectively drive this project, the audience is ultimately left in the dark, fruitlessly pondering about the significance of each unfulfilled arc.
There is some merit dwelling within. While not perfect, Moussaoui does an adequate job of constructing fascinatingly brave female characters. In the face of an extremely patriarchal country, the women in “Until the Birds Return” are distinguished and admirable. Whether it be Mourad’s (Mohamed Djouhri) wife (Aure Atika) refusing to stay content with their relationship, Aicha’s (Hania Amar) challenging of the cultural tradition of arranged marriages, or even a sexual assault survivor (Nadia Kaci) refusing to remain silent, the depiction of women is, by and large, the film’s strong suit. Yet, even with Moussaoui’s considerably bold feminine depictions, the film’s languid pace making clock watching a frequent task.
Plunging its viewers neck deep into the murky waters of Algerian society — hinting at its civil war backdrop and cultural norms— “Until the Birds Return” becomes almost too difficult for any viewer to remain invested in, even for those with passing knowledge of Algeria and its culture. Although Moussaoui appears to focus on themes of guilt and modernity within an orthodox nation, “Until the Birds Return” winds up disengaging its viewers with its incoherent melding of incomplete storylines.
Moussaoui’s underwhelming use of fractured storytelling technique not only dilutes any organic narrative development, but he completely jeopardizes the impactful nature of the film’s potentially poignant message: how we as humans are in one way or another connected to each other. Consequently, the filmmaker’s message to his viewers never gets the chance to hit home. Ultimately, “Until the Birds Return,” which runs 113 minutes long, is a meandering mess with no character payoffs. Missing the crucial connective chord that ties it all together, the filmmaker inadvertently does a huge disservice to the culture he clearly holds so dearly. [D+]
