Rowan Sullivan, Author at FilmRoot

241

A Night of Calypso – One Last Legendary Panamanian Concert

A Night of Calypso Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

If you’re looking for an introduction to the calypso music of Panama, you’ve come to the right place. A Night of Calypso will introduce you to some of the torch bearers of the genre, bring you up to speed with it’s influences, and give you an overview of the history of Afro-Caribbean people in Panama. You’ll also get a free ticket to a night of calypso music courtesy of Grupo Amistad.

From: Panama, North America
Watch: Trailer, IMDB
Next: Batuque, Talking About Trees, The Defiant Ones

242

Nobody Knows – Children Forced to Become Adults

Nobody Knows Film Difficulty Ranking: 3

Nobody Knows is one of the most moving and heart breaking films I’ve seen. You’ll meet some children treated as baggage (very literally in the opening scene) by their irresponsible mother. They’re left at home alone to fend for themselves for long periods forcing them to learn and do everything themselves. In this film, the adults are childish and the kids are forced to become adults to survive.

From: Japan, Asia
Watch: Trailer, JustWatch
Next: Shoplifters, Grave of the Fireflies, The Florida Project

243

La Yuma – Just a Girl Trying to Make it Out the Hood

La Yuma Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

You’ve probably seen Boyz in the Hood and 8 Mile, and you might have seen Kidulthood and Menace II Society. They’re all ‘hood’ films. Each of them features young men growing up in ‘the hood’, trying to make it despite all the bad influences around them. La Yuma is another ‘hood’ film, but what makes it different is that instead of starring a young man dealing with machismo, gangsters, and bad parents, it stars a young woman dealing with the same things. Introducing our star (and aspiring boxer): La Yuma.

From: Nicaragua, North America
Watch: Trailer, Kanopy, JustWatch
Next: Amor y Frijoles, A Fantastic Woman, Do the Right Thing

244

Sambizanga – A Woman Struggling Alongside the Fight for Independence

Sambizanga Film Difficulty Ranking: 3

If you’re looking for a snapshot of the people’s struggle for Angolan independence, you’ve come to the right place. Sambizanga follows a woman as she tries to track down her husband with her newborn baby. Meanwhile, in the background, the Angolan liberation movement slowly builds momentum. The director, Sarah Maldoror, worked with Gillo Pontecurvo on The Battle of Algiers before directing Sambizanga so it’s no surprise there are plenty of links between the two. If you need another reason to watch, it’s also one of the first feature films directed by a woman of colour.

From: Angola, Africa
Watch: YouTube (not good quality but can't find anywhere else)
Next: The Battle of Algiers, Flame, Lucia

245

Honeygiver Among the Dogs – How Society Creates a Witch

Honeygiver among the dogs Film Difficulty Ranking: 3

If you’re looking for a misty mystery built around the reputation of an attractive independent woman in Bhutan you’ve come to the right place. You’ll join a policeman sent to a small town in the mountains to uncover a murder mystery. The main suspect? A ‘flirtatious demoness’ who is said to possess magical powers. Honeygiver Among the Dogs promises dreams, eerie music, tranquil landscape, and a mystical plot which keeps you guessing.

From: Bhutan, Asia
Watch: Trailer, JustWatch
Trailer: White Sun, Spoor, Golden Kingdom