Discussion questions
The Visitor
- At the core of this film is the transformation of Walter Vale, who has been simply going through the motions of living. What do you imagine might have brought Walter to this? What ways does he try to attempt to bring some life into his existence, and what effect do they have?
- After Walter discovers Tarek and Zainab living in his apartment, what do you think motivates him to invite them to
stay, even though they are strangers?
- Why do you think it is that Walter was uninspired by the piano but roused by the djembe?
- After Tarek’s arrest, Walter works tirelessly on his friend’s behalf and remains in the city rather than returning home.
Why do you think this is?
- When Walter first talks to the attorney he’s hired for Tarek, the lawyer seems apathetic and impersonal. After Walter confronts him about this, we realize that he’s actually quite concerned and personally invested in his work. Why do
you think he came off as so unfeeling at first?
- There is a point in the film when Zainab tells a customer at her jewelry stand that she’s from Senegal, and the woman excitedly responds that she’s been to Cape Town, a city in South Africa thousands of miles away from Senegal. What
does this woman’s response reveal about her knowledge of the world? Why doesn’t Zainab correct her?
- In the end, Tarek is deported and his mother, Mouna, follows him shortly thereafter. What do you think happens to them?
- The final scene in the movie captures Walter drumming in the subway station, something Tarek said he’d always want
to do. What is the significance of this ending? What do you think happens to Walter did after Tarek and Mouna
return to Syria?
- What message does this film convey about valuing others, especially the visitors in our lives?
- Compare and contrast The Visitor with the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25–37). What similar messages do they have? What are the differences?
Young@Heart
- The first concert performance in Young@Heart takes place at a prison and comes on the heels of the sobering news that one of their members has died. How did choir members respond to news of the death? And how did the inmates react
to the group? What do you think motivated these responses?
- What is your impression of Bob Cilman and his style of directing/interacting with his singers?
- As you got to know the different choir members, what impressions did you have of them? What did you think about their lives and their present realities?
- The choir members are the first to admit that their performances are not perfect. Do their mistakes diminish the
musicality of the group?
- Why do you think these older adults sing in Young@Heart? And why do they sing pop songs, when there are plenty
of other genres from which to choose?
- What messages about old age, community, and music does this film convey?
- What conceptions do you hold about old age or older adults? Were they challenged or confirmed by this documentary?
