An elegant and philosophical film created by Ermenegildo Zegna and renowned director Park Chan-wook, the finale of A Rose Reborn was released last week. The film themed with a metaphorical rebirth from death or destruction has been produced with various symbols and images. The director notes that “only after some kind of death, in a symbolic sense, after going through some kind of destruction”, new life can begin. Have you found any of those “secret codes” illustrating life in the episodes?
The idea of life and death echoes each other throughout the episodes. When we carefully examine the film, we can see that the egg or oval-shaped images are the major references to signify life, which is also presented by symbols such as water and greens. Count and see if you can find as many “eggs” as mentioned here.
Stephen’s project egg denoting creation and new technology is easy to understand, yet have you noticed the long shot of the Gherkin Building in London at the very beginning? The building is in oval shape as well. Contrasting to the birth of Stephen’s technology, he is facing potential death of his business with financial issues. Arranged to meet the mysterious Mr Lu, he decides to dress in a more elegant way for the appointment. What is so special a birth sign in the men’s boutique, can you tell?
The oval shapes keep going onto the 2nd episode into the strange underground mine. When Stephen needs comfort and light in fear of death, the Messenger comes with an oval lamp bringing life and hope.
You might say there is nothing looks like an egg in the museum in Shanghai. But have you thought about the little piece of rice – the piece of sculpture Stephen studied. Amazed by director Park’s imagination? The water-egg in the finale does not only stand for life, but also contains the essential resource of life.
Life is also seen by the flourishing “greens” in the film, both green life and green plants - the Gherkin is London’s first environmentally progressive working location, and the beautiful green garden scenes, grass and plants watered in the cemetery in the finale – all denoting life.