Documentary - Page 9 of 14

The Battle of the Volcano – Experience the Chaos of Urban Warfare

The Battle of the Volcano Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

If you want to experience the chaos of urban warfare, you’ve come to the right place. The Battle of the Volcano relives the chaos of the Salvadorean Civil War through a mixture of live footage and re-enactments from the survivors. Parts of it are surreal and parts are shocking, as kids with guns take on the Capital City and the El Salvadorean government.

From: El Salvador, North America
Watch: Trailer, IMDB
Next: The Look of Silence, Winter on Fire, Monos

Read The Full Review

Portrait

Portrait Film Difficulty Ranking: 4

Image result for portrait loznitsa Another long day at work? Take a 30 minute break and watch the calming, Zen like images of Loznitsa’s Portrait. It’s a collection of portraits of people living in the snow draped countryside of old Soviet Russia. The pictures are eerie, soothing remnants of a time gone. There are no signs of technology here so hide your smart phone screen and transport yourself to another place.

Why Watch Portrait?

You’ve seen Ansel Adams’ photos of depression era U.S. and want to see a collection of eerie moving images of Russia from the same time
To see how ordinary folk lived in Soviet Russia
For a bit of calm in your hectic routine
It’s only 28 minutes long, and you it’s currently here on YouTube

The Breakdown

Grey clouds move across a grey sky above a barren field. The first image is of a man holding a knapsack with a train and electricity pylons in the background. Snow covers the ground and the immobile train. The electricity pylons show no signs of life where this man lives. The second image is of a man in layers of winter gear. His coat wavers in the wind. The only things in the background are a few small sheds and a couple of snow laden trees.

In the Soviet countryside there are signs of progress but there is no evidence of it serving the people on camera. Instead the stationary trains and electricity pylons depict unfulfilled promises of advancement that ignored the rural people. Just like the affected people in Ansel Adams’ pictures of post-depression America, Loznitsa’s film documents the lack of progress for rural Soviet Russia.

Unlike Adams’ pictures, Loznitsa’s images move in the wind. The historic images are alive, but are also frozen in time. It is as if we have stepped out of a time travel machine to find all the people staring at us, like the birds in Hitchcock’s thriller. But there will be no jump in this documentary, just a collection of eerie images. The people have become part of the landscape and have become weathered along side it. Only the wind moves, carrying time with it.

Conclusion

Loznitsa’s Portrait is almost Zen-like film that documents a way of life frozen in time. Whilst signs of progress appear in the background, it has not touched the people of the Soviet countryside. They are statues of a life that will not be changed. They are statues captured in film. To transport yourself away from your routine, take 30 minutes out to watch Potrait.

This film can be found here on Youtube

The Challenge – Gain Exclusive Access to the Richest Sheiks in Qatar

The Challenge Film Difficulty Ranking: 4

What would you do if you do if you had all the money in the world? Well, this film might give you a few ideas. These Qatari Sheiks have all the money in the world and are not afraid to spend it. Plus, more amazingly, director Yuri Ancarani has somehow got complete access to their lives. So this is your chance to see what some of the richest people do in their free time. You can watch it now with a free trial on Mubi (via Amazon).

Image result for the challenge ancarani

Why Watch the Challenge?

To gain exclusive access to the lives of Qatari Sheiks
If you like slow artistic films – this one has a lot of arty long shots and beautifully rich (pun intended) cinematography
To see if you can spot the 2001: A Space Odyssey reference. Hint: there’s a big black block in the middle of the desert signalling the evolution/height of mankind
Or simply to see what weird things you can buy with big money

The Breakdown

The Challenge starts intimately with a montage of close up shots of a few Sheiks. Each one of them is looking upwards with excitement in their eyes, not dissimilar to the eyes of an inquisitive child. Ancarani then cuts to what they’re looking at; a big warehouse full of birds of prey flying around. Then it’s your turn to feel surprised as you’re treated to a full 5 minute shot of this peculiar warehouse. Welcome to the life of the richest Sheiks of Qatar.

First you’ll be amazed by the weird things these rich Sheiks own. One Sheikh hops into a Lamborghini with his pet Cheetah sitting in the front seat on a leash. Then you’ll meet a group of Sheiks motorbiking through the desert on golden Harley Davidsons. Or maybe you’ll be surprised by a mass of 4 wheel drives speeding across sand dunes like surf boarders. It’s not a world that you’ll be used to (unless you’re a rich Qatari yourself) and the vibrant cinematography enhances the opulence.

However, as the film progresses, there’s one emotion that seems consistent with all the wealthy sheiks on screen. They all seem to be fighting boredom. This is even more noticeable with the complete absence of dialogue. As even though they take part in all these different activities, it still appears that it’s not interesting enough to talk about. There’s one particular scene where this is particularly obvious. There’s one Sheikh who’s on his knees in the middle of a room tending to a bird of prey and surrounding him are a load of Sheiks sitting slumped on cushions around the edge of the room. None of them look interested in the guy in the middle of the room. But none of them also look like they can be bothered to move to try and find something else to do. Does too much money equal boredom?

Conclusion and What to Watch Next

Whilst you may be put off by some of the long shots and sudden movements of the ‘bird cams’ you should be able to appreciate the cinematography of the film. The vibrant colours and sunsets caught on film only add to the opulent lifestyle that will be so foreign to many of us.

If you’re looking for a more political Middle Eastern film, I recommend checking out Ajami or Sandstorm from Palestine and Israel.

However, if you’re looking for more opulence, you should check out the Academy Award winner, The Great Beauty (Amazon rental) from Italy.

Eldorado XXI – Peru’s Modern Version of the American West

Eldorado XXI Film Difficulty Ranking: 5

The American West is still alive today in Peru. Migrants from across the country are flocking to the highest settlement in the world for their ‘American dream’ (their rags to riches story). However, the only thing most people find is an incredibly harsh landscape. Check it out below.

Why Watch Eldorado XXI?

You’re into ‘Slow Film‘ and want to see more!
To see a film from Peru – and our first feature from this diverse South American country on FilmRoot
Experience a little of Peruvian mountain life
If you’re fascinated by the American West and the Gold Rush

The Breakdown

ElDorado XXI starts with a 25 minute still shot of miners walking up and down a mountain in the darkness. All you can make out is the vague silhouette of their bodies and the mountain from their headlamps. Whilst we watch these miners ramble up and down in the dark we hear the story of one of them.

One of them arrived at Rinconada (the mine) a few months ago after they hit bankruptcy in the city. They heard the rags to riches stories of people finding gold at the Rinconada mine and followed their version of the ‘American dream.’

Unfortunately for them, finding riches was not as easy as in the stories they had heard. They were homeless for parts and had to spend months away from their children, left with relatives in the city. The only thing they could do was work for longer and pray for luck.

That’s when you hear some strange stories about superstitions and rituals that some of the miners use to help their luck. Sacrificing Alpaca fetuses apparently bring luck, but a human fetus would ‘be more effective’. Welcome to the Peruvian wild west!

Conclusion

Eldorado XXI gives you an idea of what life is like in the Peruvian mountains – the modern equivalent of the American wild-west. People flock to this beautiful landscape in search of quick riches, but most of them never strike gold. You’ll see the life and community these migrants have formed and hear of the weird rituals that they try to boost their luck. Well worth a watch.

The Pearl of Africa (Uganda) – A Documentary of Illegal Love

The Pearl of Africa Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

If you think it’s easy being yourself, you should watch The Pearl of Africa. You’ll meet Cleo, a transgender woman, struggling for acceptance within an country where it’s illegal for her to be herself. In fact, for ‘aggravated homosexuality’ she could be executed. Find out how she manages to live by watching this documentary on Netflix.

Image result for the pearl africa

Why Watch The Pearl of Africa?

To find out how hard it is for some people to be themselves
Meet the LGBT movement in Uganda, fighting for human rights
Learn a bit about the sex reassignment surgery process
Meet one of the most supportive partners there is

The Breakdown

We first meet Cleo lying half conscious on a hospital bed. It’s not clear what has happened. However, the stop motion animations of one figure punching another figure in high heels leads us to assume that she has been abused.

Uganda is a country with so much diversity, but there still lingers so much prejudice. Whilst different languages and religions coexist, homosexuality has been outlawed. Cleo and her boyfriend would get life imprisonment for a single homosexual act, and would face execution for ‘aggravated homosexuality.’ Simply put, it’s illegal for them to exist.

The director intentionally alternates between the news footage of angry protestors protesting against homosexuality and the serene relationship between Cleo and Nelson. On the one hand you have people protesting a sexual orientation they think is not normal. Then on the other hand you have Cleo and Nelson, a happy couple in love. Juxtaposing the two scenes makes the protestors position appear even more absurd as it shows they are directly protesting against happiness and love.

Conclusion & What to Watch Next

The Pearl of Africa shows you just how hard it is for some people to be themselves. Cleo is forced to leave the country to simply be the person she is. However, this is also a documentary of the strength of love. You’ll see how Cleo and Nelson struggle together to overcome their illegality.

To watch more check out God Loves Uganda which explores the role of American religious extremists in establishing anti-homosexuality in Uganda.

If you want to watch more African film which highlight social issues check out the fun Africa United, Beauty and the Dogs, and Black Girl. All are great film.