Comedy and Tragedy in Mein Blind Date mit dem Leben
Ed. note: Thanks to Mariya, a student at Poltava V.G. Korolenko Pedagogical University in Ukraine, for this review and analysis of a 2017 film that hasn’t been widely seen in the US. With her article, we’re proud to showcase PNW’s and LitPop’s global community.
Five per cent sight: is it enough to fulfill your dream?
The German film My Blind Date with Life tells the inspiring story of Salia Kahavatte, a successful business coach and consultant specializing in the hotel business, who was forced to overcome the obstacle of blindness. It’s a heartwarming story of human achievement against great odds, but what’s most interesting is that it’s a comedy, much more than a tragedy.
The prototype of this autobiographical film was Salia Kahavatte’s autobiography, My Blind Date with Life. Kahavatte lost 90 % of his vision at 15 years old, but he decided to learn how to live with it and despite the almost absolute loss of vision, he was able to exist fully in the world of seers. After school, he studied as a hotel specialist and made a career in the hotel and restaurant business. He hid his blindness not only because he could not realize his dream. In Germany, the blind are required to obtain a special certificate of disabled person and always show it along with a regular passport. Salia thought in some companies they would immediately think that if he does not see than how will he work. In spite of his limited ability to see, he learned by ear. He hid his disability because he was afraid he would not get a job. In the history of Salia there is everything: a path to the dream, success and failure, laughter and tears, love and friendship.
This film is about how important it is to be a sincere and positive person, and the drama rests on the confrontation between the hero and his circumstances. Some people might see this film as a comedy because Salia looks awkward. But I consider the film to be a sitcom or comedy of situations, because the film is all about how our hero deals with difficult circumstances. He copes, but with great awkwardness and good humor. We laugh at him trying to distinguish between bottles of wine based on their shape, for example.
Of course, everybody wants to be successful and to achieve their goals. Unfortunately, not everyone will find success. Some people lose confidence in their abilities, or they might be afraid of what others will say. Others face discrimination. But this film is all about confronting your circumstances, however limiting they may be, with humor.
Today Kahavatte travels around the world as a business trainer. He reads reports to employees of companies, most often middle managers and top managers, who have difficulties and do not know what to do next. He tells about his life under the slogan, “If I could, then why can’t you?” He is exactly a wizard, because to solve any problem you need a clear strategy. For the first step of your achieving your goal, you need to evaluate your opportunities. It is really hard, but it is possible to do. This is, perhaps, a “sitcom” approach to hardship: confront your circumstances with positivity.
There are not many people with Salia Kahavatte’s disability, but he is exemplary even for people without disabilities. He wanted to be best and he did it. He did not fall into depression because he did not have sufficient support from people who were close to him. Once a journalist asked him: “What motivated you not to give up?” And he answered: “Motivation is one thing, but…whatever happens in life the main thing is your mood. I have never felt disabled, simply my possibilities became limited.”
The film filled me with strong energy. I laughed, then cried, the actors played so well, and it all goes away in a breath. The film will give you incredible emotions, and after watching the film, its plot will long be in your head. It will ask you to remember that whatever your circumstances, you should confront them with strength, purpose, and humor.
