I recently stood before a large audience and told on myself. I spoke about my true feelings and sheepishly removed the veil covering a deep brokenness. Some say it took courage to undertake such a feat, I say it took desperation. Meaningful relationships and true love come at such a price. I think it a small cost to pay for the richness of knowing and being known. What a joy to slip into each others’ lives like we do into a comfortable bath rob. Naked beneath, pretense fled, leaving honest dialogue and a deep sense of belonging. At its core, this is the story of As it is in Heaven. A place where voices blend, people are seen, and love abounds.
A Swedish language film nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, As it is in Heaven tells the story of Daniel Dareus, a physically and emotionally broken world famous conductor who returns to his hometown to learn again how to breath and to love. As he settles into a town where no one remembers him, the local church choir solicits his help and he reluctantly accepts. The result is a harmony far greater than that of voices; it’s the joining of lives and the development of rich community.
With an outstanding cast and powerful music, As it is in Heaven’s true success rests in its ability to tell a story that tears down the facades so common in religious communities (all communities, really) to celebrate flawed individuals while elevating our oneness. Powerful portrayals of honesty and coming to terms with difficult truths abound in this film, yet it never feels heavy or too much for the audience to bear (to which I credit the music). I again bow in homage to European cinema for casting the best actors for each roll and eschewing the need to fill the picture with the most physically attractive people who enter the casting room.
As it is in Heaven does not move at a blazing speed and the story is not without its formulaic elements, but pushing through those minor concerns will yield a happy harvest of joy for having seen a film that captures the truth of heaven like few others. The aroma of eternity is found in the grace and right relationships so well displayed in this picture. Don’t take my word for it, see Heaven for yourself.
