WHAT: Du Levande (You, the Living) WHERE: Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak St. S.E. WHEN: Oct. 30 9:15 p.m., Oct. 31-Nov. 1 5:15 p.m. And 9:15 p.m., Nov. 2-Nov. 3 7:15 p.m. PRICE: General Admission – $8, $5 w/ student I.D. (bring cash) We the living should be pleased, reads the title card to âÄúDu Levande [You, The Living],âÄù in our delightfully warm beds before we should feel the icy lick of water from Lethe – a mythological river of the underworld. Most of the characters in this film by Swedish director Roy Andersson however, do not seem to heed this advice, and remain frustrated and unhappy. The film is composed of 50 short skits running one after the other, acted out by ordinary people in an ordinary world. Most of the skits are un-energetic and performed in a diffused and gray light, lending the film a morose feeling. Mood aside, the film is far from bleak. The skits are almost as funny as they are depressing in a way that is so subtle it seems almost unintentional. The brilliant music that accompanies each scene also brightens the action. The soundtrack is a mix of Dixieland, traditional folk songs and lengthy guitar solos. Like the film, the music glides from one scene to the next ever so seamlessly. The film is part of Oak StreetâÄôs Tribute to Roy Andersson this weekend as it will be aired along with a documentary entitled âÄúSwedish Love Story: Filmmaker in focus: Roy Andersson.âÄù Through the flow of earthly stories in âÄúDu LevandeâÄù shine some truly beautiful moments such as when a young woman, Anna, has a dream of marrying her rock star idol, Micke. As they sit in their cozy house together with Anna still in her wedding dress and Micke quietly playing out a ballad, the landscape outside slowly begins to move and the house is brought into town before a crowd of people. The bride opens the window and a glowing chorus of congratulations ensues. âÄúI didnâÄôt know a single one, but they were kind all the same,âÄù expresses Anna, as she stands in a bar, back in her gray reality. Part of what gives the characters such an authentic feel is that Andersson cast his film mostly using people that he picked off the Swedish streets. Though most characters have only very small parts, almost all are unique and memorable, if not lovable. They are people we can laugh and sympathize with at the same time. The comparisons between Du Levande and the work of Swedish director Ingmar Bergman are inescapable. Du Levande walks the line between the grim reality of modern death and the subtle magic that is possible today. Mixed in with this combination is that taste in your mouth that some of these characters and the world in which they live must be at least a little bit crazy. The film has been making the rounds of international film festivals since its debut in 2007, collecting a number of best director awards for Andersson in the process. âÄúDu LevandeâÄù is a dreamy film that paints the picture of contemporary life in quiet gray colors. It is uplifting while at the same time a little deflating as it makes life out to be a lonely and spooky little nebula. So what really is the meaning of life? The answer is suspended somewhere in between.