I ran across a beautiful little movie the other day. It was one of the finalists in the narrative division of the Vimeo Awards for short films. Go to the site and you can get lost in there for hours -- I did -- but one film, less than 5 minutes long, has stuck with me ever since.
It's called "Nuit Blanche" (literally "white night," but the French use it to mean "sleepless night") by Arev Manoukian. Watch it first, and then I have a project for you.
What this film made me think about, as you might imagine, is the idea of love at first sight. But love isn't the only thing we feel at first sight... sometimes you know a house is the place you want to live when you pull into the driveway, or you know one dog in the litter is the one meant for you. And we also feel the opposite of those things -- sometimes we DON'T like or DON'T want something as soon as you give it a glance.
So here's the assignment: Tell me a story about a moment when you knew something at first sight.
You can leave it here in the comments or send me an email at ttomlinson@charlotteobserver.com. I'll also post this on my Facebook page. If you have photos or anything else that helps tell your story, send those along too.
We'll compile the best and publish them. So let's hear your story.
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4 comments:
That was a terrible short film. It has as much emotion as any "arty" perfume or jewelry ad it was modeled after.
It was January 28, 1986 when I first saw my husband across the crowded room. 80's dance music and the tinkling of bar glasses was the background of when the walls came came crashing down for me. I had no intention of meeting anyone that night, but it's funny how just one look can change your life forever. He not only made me laugh, but there was a complete feeling of safeness that had no one had ever made me feel before. I knew I had finally found "home"
by Julie Dodd
February 2, 2001, I was formally introduced to one of the most important men I have in my life, my nine year old black Chinese Pug, named Ed.
Ed and his four littermates were not supposed to appear for another two weeks, according to his mother, Samantha's vet. Lo and behold, the day after that fateful office visit, I was perfecting my "midwifing skills" at 4:15 AM, no less!
Ed was actually the third puppy born. And he was the only pup that I have delivered out of 4 litters, to be born with his eyes completely open.
I guess that since I was the first entity he saw when he emerged from the birth canal, he automatically assumed that I was his mother! He cannot stand for me to be out of his sight for longer than a few minutes at a time. He even stands at the front door and howls whenever I take out the garbage and he can see me not even five feet away.
The longest I have been away from him is the three weeks I attended summer school in England in 2006. My husband sent me daily emails about Ed's latest rampages. He would stamp his feet into his water bowl and shower my kitchen floor with water.
He royally showed off while I was gone and at one point he howled so much my husband had to put him outside in the middle of the night so that he could get some sleep. I am suprised that the neighbors didn't call the police because he sounds like someone is beating him half to death when he howls.
For three days after I returned, Ed ignored me like I was a ghost. Suddenly on the fourth day, he resumed his previous ways of getting up under me and sitting at my feet.
Currently, he is sitting curled up under my feet as I type this. He is snoring his heart out and if I get up to go anywhere he will wake up and follow me immediately.
This past week I had to have Ed's father, my 12 year old fawn Chinese Pug, Bubba, put to sleep. I know in my heart that eventually I will have to do the same for Ed and the remaining three Chinese Pugs that I currently have. I have already told my husband that I will most likely need a strait jacket and some mighty strong meds when the time comes to have Ed put to sleep. He is the other baby I could not have on my own and was God's and Samantha's gift to me. He just wears fur instead of bare human skin...
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