loved it (spoiler)

i dont watch a lot of movies because I find them emotionally draining, hence i stick to reading, music, photography and paintings etc... but that also means i pick a few only to watch:)

I loved this film, because the story telling is very much like reading a book. The narrative is slow-paced to suit the calmness of the village, also providing such contrasts to the immense tension underneath the peacefulness in each family.Through out the story it is dropping hints here and there for us to work out the mystery. There are not much music except the children's church choir, this actually enhanced the chosen way of story telling.

The Baron, Pastor and Doctor create the order in this village. Everybody lives under this system, but the Pastor's daughter Klara found a way to get around it doing evil, releasing pressure and challenge the system. All the fathers in this movie restrain their emotion and distance with their kids. Having the white ribbon tied on your children are like tagging a star saying "you have sinned" in public.

Here is my interpretation of what happened:

-Klara leads the group of kids that is Martin from her own family, and the Steward's 3 sons.

-Martin caused the Doctor's horse accident under Klara's direction, this is why he said "I gave god a chance to kill me but he actually likes me" due to his guilt. The act is a test in the water, but no one investigated because farmer's wife died at the same time.Why harm the doctor? Same reason as why torture the Midwife's son later on.

-Farmer's wife died. This shows the Steward is a careless character to the workers, at the very end we see him abusing his kids, this answers the question why the 3 boys did evil to release pain.

-The Steward's new born almost died because his 3 boys opened the window deliberately hoping to freeze him dead. Explained by their sister's 'dream' later on.

-The fire was also lit by the Steward's sons, as they hate Sigi's and Baron's family. There is a shot of their expression watching the fire close by from their window full of rage. After the fire, the old farmer killed himself thinking the village will gossip it is his family again, so he was a victim.

- The abduction of Baron's son Sigi was a joint effort of the Steward's sons and Karla's troop. Which is why Sigi first went out with the Steward's sons,later disappeared. This also explains why the Steward's daughter had the 'dream' of Midwife's son being tortured, because Karla discussed the 2nd abduction plan with the Steward's sons.

- Karla challenged her dad with the dead bird in silence, after he publicly shamed her again. Deep down the Pastor knew its her but refuse to think deep. Karla confronted her father in silence, and knew she had won over him, at the moment of drinking the holy water in the church. Never to be afraid of him or god again.
Later on it proved to be true, as the Pastor sensed the teacher was telling the truth, but refused to believe it, because it is saying the order he set up is doing wrong.

-The midwife borrowed the bike, perhaps not to go to the police, but to chase her down syndrome son, realizing the doctor has taken him. Her affair with the doctor started when doctor's wife was still alive. I feel the son was really her and the doctor's. This is why she doesn't get along with the Doctor's little boy. Also the down syndrome son wants to hold onto the doctor's hand. After doctor learnt the kids are spying on him, he fled fearing people will find out the sexual abuse behind his curtain. (For me the most difficult part to watch in the whole film, doctor with his daughter, he was still zipping up when boy walked in)

-The only contrast here is Gustav, Pastor's youngest boy. He is the only innocent boy in the film, like the little bird, born free but gradually caged. :(

-The 3 outsiders, teacher, nanny and Baroness are able to sense what is really wrong with the village, it was said through Baroness' words. They are the only ones who are able to truly love.

-The film didnt give definitive answers to all these questions, because it was the memory from the old teacher, some vague some unsolved.