Uncertain Future gives you a rare look into the small country at the heart of Africa: Burundi. It takes place in 2015 when President Nkurunziza seeks to rule for a third term against the wishes of a lot of the citizens of Bujumbura (the capital). Get a first hand look at the protests and violence in Eddy Munyaneza’s brave documentary.
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.
How can you tell that The Grand Marriage is a made for TV documentary? Well, besides from the obvious signs: that it’s made by a TV news network (Al Jazeera), and fits into an hour long TV segment with room for a small commercial break in the middle, you can also tell in the way that it’s made. For example, it starts with an opening introductory montage of shots from scenes to come later in the film. It’s there to try and grab the attention of any TV viewers currently watching the network in an attempt to get them to stay to watch the whole show. The content is also aimed at the armchair traveler. Just as the opening montage gives viewers a flavor of the documentary to come, the informative content is designed to appeal to viewers interested in world news and culture: those likely to be on the Al Jazeera channel. The level of detail and specificity is not necessarily something that viewers would otherwise directly seek out at the cinema or on streaming services.
Told by the Locals
One thing that makes The Grand Marriage standout versus other TV documentaries, is that it’s told completely by the locals. There’s no narrator, and therefore no one serving as a mediator to translate the locals words into something more palatable to our own customs. It allows the Comoran people to present their customs and culture from their own point of view, unchallenged by a foreign perspective. We’re the only one who can judge and interpret them. That being said, that does not mean that the documentary is completely free of bias. It could be that the people speaking are all from a particular class or background that gives us a less rounded view of Comoran culture. The groom, for example is a former government minister. But it does give the locals the power to represent themselves.
what’s so special about the grand marriage?
The Grand Marriage is worth a watch because it gives viewers an insight into Comoran culture through one of it’s biggest cultural customs. The grand marriages are the status builders of Comoran society. Plus they involve a lost of Comoran society – as you can see from the incredible number of attendees. The documentary doesn’t just show the main event, but all the preparatory ceremonies that go with it. It also gathers a range of voices to comment on the ceremony, from the bride and groom to be themselves, to the whole community involved to give a balanced perspective. So if you’re interested in learning a bit about Comoran culture, this is a good film to start with.
What to Watch Next
If you want to watch more cultural documentaries from Africa, check out Batuque, a look at music from the Cape Verde islands. You could also check out In Search of Voodoo from Benin, which looks at the west African voodoo culture.
Or if you’d like to see some more films centered around marriage, check out Saudi Runaway, featuring a Saudi girl trying to escape from an arranged marriage, or Flesh Out, featuring a Mauritanian woman bulking up for her groom.
Are you ready for a challenge? If you’re a runner, a hiker, or if you just like a good adventure, you’ll enjoy watching Kiril push himself to the limits in Reach Your Limits. His goal: to run 600km (375 miles) from one end of Bulgaria to the other in under 5 days. And if that sounds too easy for you, the route follows the Balkan Mountain ridge, with multiple peaks over 2000m.
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