Rowan Sullivan

366

La Soledad (Venezuela) – Witness the Decay of a Country

La Soledad

La Soledad Film Difficulty Ranking: 4

Do you know much about the current economic situation in Venezuela? If you don’t, and you’re into great art-house film, La Soledad is for you. You’ll see an enchanting old house, which at times reminded me of King Louie’s temple in Jungle Book, decaying as nature slowly reclaims it. You’ll also meet Rosina and her grandson Jose who are struggling to get by. If you’ve got 2 hours spare, soak in this film! 

From: Venezuela, South America
Watch: Trailer, Rent on Amazon, Buy on Amazon
Next: It's All Good, Hermano, This is Not a Film
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367

Layla Fourie (South Africa) – How Long Can You Hold a Lie?

Layla Fourie Film Difficulty Ranking: 3

Up for a slow-burning thriller with racial undertones? Here’s Layla Fourie, a young single mum in South Africa trying to earn an honest living. Unfortunately for her, an accident may derail all hopes of a normal life.

Why Watch Layla Fourie?
  • You like a good slow burning thriller
  • For the excellent acting of Layla’s son!
  • To hear one of the best (and simplest) interview questions
  • To continue exploring South African film (check out Tsotsi and District 9 first)
The Breakdown

Layla Fourie starts with what sounds like a doctor quizzing a woman about her health. Does she drink alcohol? Sometimes after work. Has she driven under the influence? Strange question for a doctor, but no. As the person asks her another question (has she ever lied?) the camera shows a lie test followed by a black hand tied to a pulse detector. It’s all part of a job interview, but it seems more like an interrogation. Luckily for Layla Fourie, she’s all lie-free.

However, at night the first piece of foreshadowing spells trouble: a car crash outside Layla’s apartment. The next night, whilst driving in the early hours of the morning with her young son, Layla is lost. She is obviously disorientated, she has to stop to look at a map and keeps flicking her headlights on and off (which doesn’t help clear up the darkness of the night). A few minutes later her son wakes up from a slumber and distracts her enough to crash into a man whose car has broken down.

Now it’s Layla’s time to lie. She becomes more suspicious of everyone and much less assured. Can she get away with what she’s done or will she be found out?

Conclusion

Whilst some of the coincidences seem a little bit too contrived, the film does keep up the tension for a lot of the film. If you’re into thrillers, especially those that delve into racism, then this film might just be for you.

368

Damiana Kryygi – History Cannot Be Changed But It Can Be Rectified

Damiana Kryygi Film Difficulty Ranking: 4

“We have to know our past to build a better future”

These are the wise words of one of the Ache people from Southern Paraguay when reflecting on the tumultuous past his people have faced. Damiana, a young girl kidnapped by settlers just over one hundred years ago is a symbol for the decline of the Ache people. Her return will fill a missing piece in Ache history – a piece that allows the Ache to build a better future.

Why Watch Damiana Kryygi?
  • Learn about the Ache tribe of Southern Paraguay
  • See that History can be made right!
  • If you want to see a documentary about the fall of indigenous tribes of South America under imperial rule (a good pairing for the fantastic Embrace of the Serpent)
  • See some of the extent of deforestation in South America
The Breakdown

Damiana Kryygi starts with two men on the outskirts of a jungle digging a hole in the earth. They take turns to jump into the hole over 2m deep and wide enough for them to fit in. They burrow deeper with a long stick and chuck out the red/brown dirt over their heads. These are two Ache people from Southern Paraguay. Their reasons for digging will become clear.

Damiana was a young Ache girl who was kidnapped during a settler raid on the Ache people at the turn of the 20th century. She was kidnapped and became a subject of study for the settlers. Her once human life was turned into the life of a captive animal. She died of Tuberculosis as a teenager and her ruins were never returned.

Over a century separates the death of Damiana and the present day Ache people. The period has seen huge changes to the landscape and Ache people. Now the landscape is barren, a desert of green grass has taken over from a wild forest. The Ache people have lost a huge part of their memory with the destruction of the forest. They have been forced from their lives as hunter gatherers. It all started with the dictatorship at the turn of the 20th century which abused and massacred the Ache population.

Image result for damiana kryygi
Conclusion

The horrific trials that young Damiana went through as a child won’t be things you’ll enjoy reliving. But the resilience of the Ache people is enough to fill anyone with respect. Watch to witness how one indigenous tribe in South America is piecing together it’s painful recent history.

 

369

Abouna (Chad) – Two Brothers Looking for their Dad in Chad

Abouna Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

Image result for abouna film picture

How many films from Chad have you seen? In fact, how many African films have you seen? Probably not enough. Abouna is one of the better coming-of-age films you’ll see, plus it’s one of the most beautifully shot films you’ll see. Transport yourself to Chad for a while by watching Abouna here (on YouTube).

Why Watch Abouna?
The Breakdown

Abouna starts with an expansive shot of some desert sand dunes. A man walks across the sand whilst guitar music plays. He comes towards the camera, looks straight us, and walks off, across another sand dune and into the distance. It’s like a classic western shot of a cowboy riding off into the distance.

After the credits roll, two brothers 15 and 8 take the centre stage. They’re annoyed as their dad didn’t show up to ref their football game. They go home looking for him but there is no sign of him.

Their individual loneliness is captured in some beautiful shots of each of the characters with empty space surrounding them. For example, in the shot below, Amine (the younger brother) walks along the street on his own.

Without the empty space to frame the picture, everything would appear normal. But with the black empty space to frame the picture, the shot becomes more melancholy. Amine is on his own and has to take care of himself.

Conclusion

Simply put, Abouna is a great film. So watch the film and transport yourself to Chad for a while. Watch it here on YouTube.

370

Dog Lady (Argentina) – Life on the Fringe of Society

Dog Lady Film Difficulty Ranking: 4

Firstly, let me clarify that I had no expectations of Dog Lady before I started watching it. But luckily the message it carries is a great one. The present only gives clues of the past. Just because we can see people in the present doesn’t mean we know their past.

Image result for dog lady film

Why Watch Dog Lady?
  • If you can watch dogs all day and never get bored
  • You’re interested to see how someone can make a film about a dog lady
  • You’re not sure what a dog lady is
  • To explore the meaning of life
The Breakdown

A middle aged woman is walking through a forest at dawn. It’s still pretty dark, but through the trees you can see a woman followed by a pack of 5 or 6 dogs. You only see her and the dogs through the branches as if we are spying on her. She takes out a slingshot and tries to hunt some food. This is our Dog Lady!

So what is a middle aged woman doing hunting for food in a forest in the early hours of the morning? Judging by her dirty clothes, encampment near the forest, and dog friends she must be homeless. But luckily the film doesn’t let us hold that prejudice.

We never learn about the past life of our nameless dog lady. Even though there are clues where she has come from (which you’ll see from her visit to the city) the director never gives us a past to give us a definite answer. Because of this, she remains anonymous and foreign to us, and someone who can be easily categorised. But as with all homeless people, there is always something you cannot see from simply looking at them.

Conclusion

Dog Lady never gives away enough about it’s protagonist for us to really understand who they are. Instead, the anonymity of our protagonist makes her a symbol of the homeless in Argentina and the world. We only see clues as to why she is living this way but never the full truth. Just because we see the present doesn’t mean we know the past.