BROTHERS OF THE WIND

Austria, 2015, 98 minutes, Colour.
Jean Reno, Manuel Camacho, Tobias Moretti, Eva Kuen.
Directed by Gerardo Olivares, Ottmar Penker.

One of the Wind is a beautiful film to watch, filmed in an Austrian National Park, filmed during the various seasons, the camera work quite extraordinary as it follows majestic eagles in flight.

The plot is fairly straightforward and is narrated by a sympathetic old man played by Jean Reno. He tells the story of the eagles of the mountains, the eggs in the nest, rivalries of chickens in the nest, the death of the father, the choice of the mother in saving only one of the eaglets. The biblical story of Cain and Abel is used as a metaphor for the two young eagles.

The film is also story of a young boy in the mountains, harshly dealt with by his drinking father, working for his father, coming across the ousted eagle, hiding it in a cave, caring for it, becoming very attached to it, only to find his father criticising him and getting rid of the eagle.

In many ways, the film humanises the eagle who eventually survives but has to confront, in battle, the rival brother. And, with the human story, the boy suffers with the loss of the eagle over several years. However, it eventually returns, the father recognising it, the boy to resume the friendship and training but, with the help of Reno, letting it go as it flies out into the wild.

1. The title, the brother eagles and their rivalry? The books and the tale teller reading them to Lucas?

2. The brothers, Cain and Abel, the rivalry the two brothers, a fight to death, Abel surviving – and the reconciliation between the brothers contrasting with the Scriptures?

3. The impact of the film as a nature film, the eggs, the chickens, hatching, the mother, the father, the life of the eagles? The father being killed? The rivalry, Abel falling out of
the nest, not dying, the rivalry?

4. The breathtaking photography, the soaring eagles, the close-ups, the animals in the mountains, the swoops for prey? The musical score?

5. The teller of the tale, his voice-over, his perceptions, admiration for the eagles, for Lucas, disappointment with the father, his intervening, giving home to Lucas for the summer? Helping the boy with wise advice about the training of the eagle?

6. The boy, the past tragedy, not speaking, his father and his drinking, pressing the boy, Lucas and the bird, training it, his fondness, calling it Abel? The father harsh about the training?

7. Abel, in action, swooping on the prey? The rivalry from Cain? The storm, the seeming deaths? injuries? The passing of the seasons? Abel disappearing?

8. The years passing, Lucas with his father, not expecting to see the bird, the boy hoping? The Father realising that Abel was returning? Lucas now able to free Abel so that he lived in the wild? The teller of the tale, hoping for reconciliation between father and son, the boy responding to his father?