The Sensation of Sight (2008)

A fusion of dream-state and reality permeates Aaron Wiederspahn’s dazzling directorial debut about a man’s search for meaning within the ache of despair. Finn (David Strathairn) is a high school English teacher in a small New England community who is entering a mid-life crisis brought on by a recent tragedy for which he blames himself. Giving in to a compulsion which he can hardly understand, let alone explain to his wife and young son, Finn decides to abandon his routine life in hopes of finding an answer to “why” and the redemption he needs to go on living. He takes a small room in a boarding house and arises everyday to walk the streets with his book-laden cart trying to sell encyclopedias to the town locals. Along the way, he encounters a wide variety of folks; sales are made, relationships flicker and he struggles on. Finn’s anxieties begin to consume him as he finds himself pursued by an unrelenting ghost. Circling through sleepless nights and desperate days, Finn at last encounters another soul who also appears to be haunted by something beyond his control. Soon, they enter into an uneasy partnership of loneliness and disconnection, which will fatefully lead Finn toward an unexpected and sublime awakening. In a sincere and loving way, The Sensation of Sight focuses on people who are dealing with some significant potholes in their lives. The always dependable David Strathairn turns in another brilliantly understated performance that keeps you riveted every step of the way as the film peels back one layer at a time to look under the surface at universally recognized experiences.

Interview with Aaron Wiederspahn about The Sensation of Sight
Aaron interviews Aaron Wiederspahn about how art has the power to help us bust out of our skin and have a transcendent experience.
(11/11/2006 Starz Denver Film Festival)


powered by ODEO

Aaron reviews The Sensation of Sight
Aaron talks about transcendence in film and the beauty of Sensation of Sight.
(11/11/2006 Starz Denver Film Festival)


powered by ODEO