The film Platform has quickly become a hit on the Internet. While the scenes are drab, the plot is thought-provoking. Some say that the film reveals the real nature deep within a human’s heart, while others say it is a realistic film. Opinions vary. The film, which was released in Spain on November 8, 2019, was directed by Gald Gaztulu Urrutia and stars Ivan Massagué and Zorion Eguilleor.
The film tells the story of people who voluntarily imprisoned themselves. It is a vertical prison with one cell per level. Two prisoners are on each floor. Every day, prisoners are fed beginning on the top floor and then continuing to the lower floors. Prisoners on the first floor enjoy delicious food provided from the platform. The lower the platform goes, the less food is left for the prisoners. Prisoners on the bottom don’t have enough to eat or starve to death or try to eat one another. Prison rules stipulate that food can only be eaten, but not be kept.
What’s interesting is that prisoners are randomly distributed to different levels each month. Prisoners on the first level who do not need to worry about having enough food may be sent to a lower level and hardly have any food to eat for a month, and they may become cannibals.
The main storyline is that the hero recruits a partner and together they attempt to break this system. They go to each level by using the platform to distribute food fairly, so as to change the situation where the people on the top level are well-fed and those on the bottom starve to death or eat each other. One might say that the protagonist is a typical idealist, who wants to create a fair system of survival and restore everyone’s right to life, but reality will punch him in the face.
The film reflects the reality that everyone is struggling for survival, no matter if they are in the upper or lower class, and they are all persecuted. The film tries to tell us that resistance is difficult and may not be successful, but only by trying to break the system of oppression can we live with dignity.
Some think that living is the most important thing. However, without morality, is there value in life? When we are tortured or under pressure, and even have our lowest sense of humanity challenged, do we give up on morality and try our very best only to protect ourselves?
Who has never been corrupted?
There are different kinds of people in this film. Some muddle along while in prison, some try to eat as much as possible, some want to escape with a rope, some take along knives to kill their cell mates if they are out of food.
The hero doesn’t want to be dominated by this type of life. He wants to break this order of survival of the fittest. He has his own beliefs and works hard to establish a different morality.
There are other storylines and details, like when the protagonist and his partner go to distribute the food to other levels, some might not follow their rules, but they try to persuade them before they have to use force. This is their principle and their belief. He is not a perfect hero. He has been corrupted too, though he is the one with strong beliefs. Before he goes to distribute food with his partner, he was imprisoned with an old man, then he was locked up with a woman who had a dog. The protagonist killed the old man because the old man threatened his life. The woman with the dog hanged herself to save food for him.
The protagonist goes from being a revolutionary to an idealist. He wants all the prisoners to unite. He tries to change himself and stand up for his beliefs. This might be the highlight of his life. He cares nothing about what others do. He wants only to live his life, believing that he can help others to act in the same way as himself.
In conclusion, what should we Christians do when we are faced with reality or controlled by social norms? Should we go with the stream or insist on our own beliefs? Some Christians may care about only themselves when they face adversity and tribulation. This is a selfish way of living.
Christians are not heroes, but they should have their own beliefs, principles, and should not give in to the temptation of evil for their own profit. Those who cannot keep their faith while facing evil should repent and mend their ways.
- Translated by Lin Changfeng
