Dina

Dina is a 2017 American documentary film directed by Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles. The film features an eclectic cast comprised of real-life individuals who enact their everyday lives as they navigate complex, personal journey amidst the mental and emotional challenges they face. The film’s main characters are Dina Buno and her boyfriend, Scott Levin, who later becomes her fiancé. Throughout the movie, Dina Buno, a middle-aged woman with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Scott Levin, a Walmart door greeter who also has Asperger's Syndrome, offer an intimate look into their unique relationship, providing the movie with a heart warming depiction of love, resilience, and the human spirit.

Dina explores the life of its titular character, Dina Buno, a woman with an uncommonly generous spirit and an infectious zest for life. Throughout the film, we follow Dina as she embarks on an emotional journey of finding love even with past traumas. We come to understand the stigmas attached to those living with disabilities and how societal expectations affect relationships. Dina leads us to question what normality really means while challenging societal perceptions of a conventional relationship.

The feature co-stars Frank Costanzo, adding another layer of authenticity to the film. Dina does not shy away from real experiences, and this is reflected in Costanzo’s portrayal, which is riddled with poignant scenes that continue to add depth to the storyline.

One of the most striking aspects of the movie is the filmmaking itself. Rather than adhering to the traditional documentary style, the filmmakers opt for a cinéma vérité approach, choosing to allow the characters and the narrative to unfold organically. The directors offer an intimate view into Dina and Scott's world without passing judgement or pushing a particular narrative. This approach effectively introduces the audience to the everyday struggles and triumphs that Dina and Scott experience, drawing us into their lives in an incredibly genuine way.

Dina brilliantly incorporates an exceptional combination of humor, raw emotion, and real-life drama, providing a multi-dimensional perspective previously not often seen in films about disabled individuals. It emphasizes that Dina and Scott's ordinary struggles with love and companionships are no different from anyone else's. The film captivates the viewers as it paints an authentic picture of everyday life and ordinary instances, which are seldom focused on in mainstream media.

Representing an unconventional and yet deeply human love story, Dina is an undeniable testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the universal desire for companionship. Their refreshing depiction of love in the face of adversity offers a potent commentary on contemporary relationships viewed through the lens of mental disability. The couple’s honesty, vulnerabilities and strong emotional connection make the film an engaging and empathetic narrative.

Despite covering serious themes, Dina never becomes bogged down in didacticism. Instead, it tells a warm, human and often humorous story, keeping the audience interested and engaged throughout. It underlines the importance of understanding, accepting, and above all, loving each other despite our differences. Both Dina and Scott, through their real-life experiences and unique relationship, expose the audience to a new perspective about the human condition by revealing the beauty of love in all its forms and shapes.

The film, with its mesmerizing combination of beautiful cinematography, compelling dialogues, and an intriguing storyline, becomes an enchanting viewing experience. The portrayal of love, trials, triumphs, and lessons holds the power to move the audience, making them laugh at times, and bring them to tears at others. The movie vouches for the power of love and its ability to transform lives beyond the ordinary realm of comprehension.

In conclusion, Dina is more than just a documentary film. It's a glance into a world where love takes on a different meaning, and resilience takes center stage. By exploring mental health, relationships, the human spirit, and societal norms, the film shatters stereotypes and reveals the extraordinary in the ordinary. Love, as depicted in Dina, is not bound by circumstance or confined by society's idea of normal. It is about the power of connection and acceptance, filling the screen and the heart with hope, empathy, and understanding. With its raw emotion and humorous moments, Dina is truly a film that lingers, long after the credits roll.