Chocolat
is a a simple interesting movie which talks about freedom using metaphors and
symbolism.
Juliette Binoche arrives one day in a small town in France with her young
daughter in tow. Much to the
villagers' initial resistance, she opens up a chocolate shop. The mayor (Alfred
Molina) of this church-going community feels he cannot keep the community under
control because of the chocolat shop. The villagers also gossip about
Binoche behind her back, making her totally isolated.
Binoche's chocolate shop is a metaphor for the inner freedom we all strive
to achieve in life. This freedom is sweet and tempting but controlling forces
like of the religion does not want the community to taste freedom and lose its
control over them. This spiritual freedom is opposed to institutionalized
religions which does not want to lose its member's by tasting freedom. The
real motive of all spiritual traditions is to free man from his or her
limitations, but when it becomes an organization then the whole focus is
to convert people to their organization.
This denial of freedom
is revolted by some rare individuals who are unfortunately unwelcome in
any society. The religious fanatics look them as threat to their
organization and so brain wash the public portraying these "free spirits" as
evil and the sweetness (taste of freedom) as destructive.
But these free open minded
spirit symbolized by Binoche, spread their message of freedom and move to
the next place like the free wind with no walls. In the end of the movie she
allows the chocolat powder to be carried away by the wind, symbolizing
that her message of freedom has been delivered.
The
spirit of freedom comes from all ancient cultures and so does
Binoche's chocolat recipe. Religions do not allow free thinking and taste
freedom and that is the message of chocolat, while giving us the various colors
of life.
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