Brokeback Mountain is certainly the most extraordinary, moving and powerful film I have ever seen. I’m University Professor in an Arts Faculty in Canada and I generally tend to prefer films by foreign directors, particularly French and Scandinavian. I consider myself as a rather rational-intellectual and somewhat stoic person… but then came Brokeback Mountain which caught me off guard and has generated in me unforeseen emotion. I had read the set of Annie Proulx’s short stories months before the movie came out so I knew the storyline and was familiar with the characters. Nonetheless, I was not prepared for what awaited me. I have always enjoyed good cinema and through the years, I’ve seen movies, lots of them, but this time I really felt that this was a “moment”, a “key moment” in cinematic history.

I will never forget how I felt after viewing BBM that first time on a cold January night. I was floored, crushed, speechless. I actually returned to the theatre about 10 days later to see it again and interestingly, the emotional impact was even stronger. For days and weeks afterwards, I was haunted by the emotion and images of Brokeback Mountain.

Brokeback Mountain is an exceptional work of art in which silence speaks louder than words. The key element here does not lie in what is said but rather in what isn’t. In many ways, this is the perfect film: the pace is controlled and reproduces faithfully the feelings of waiting, longing and hoping for two long decades. Its treatment of human nature, loneliness, intolerance, longing for love, is just truthful and done with such subtlety and sensitivity. Nothing is artificial or contrived.

The great author Annie Proulx created truer-than-life characters and thanks of course to the unforgettable performances of Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, “Ennis and Jack” are now undeniably part of the American culture. Ang Lee realizes the full power of image in his exploration of the most intimate human emotions. The attention to detail is exceptional. The look in the eyes of Jack and Ennis says all, and the same can be said of their wives, as well as of Jack’s mother. Eyes and smiles can be very eloquent. Sometimes words are not necessary and are simply obstacles to the truest expression. Ennis’s visit to Jack’s room near the end of the film is a scene in total silence: he is alone and no word is uttered. Yet, it is surely one the most powerful and probably one of the most unforgettable scenes in recent cinematic history for its meaning and exceptional emotional impact. Brokeback Mountain simply tells a story. It’s neither moralizing nor preachy. It tells a very moving love story and touches our hearts like no other film.

The impact of Brokeback Mountain has been absolutely historic in scope. It is unequivocally one of the most acclaimed and decorated films of all times, having befittingly been named “Best Picture” over 30 times around the world. It is a genuine and unique masterpiece, surely one of the greatest films ever.