documentary

Film Review: THE GENTLEMAN NEXT DOOR, Documentary

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Played at the March 2017 DOCUMENTARY Festival

MOVIE POSTERTHE GENTLEMAN NEXT DOOR, 16min, USA
Directed by John Mollison

Sometimes the old man next door turns out to also be a young man of a different, violent age.

Review by Kierston Drier:

 “When a man dies a library is burned”. That may very well be the theme of John Mollison’s documentary The Gentleman Next Door, a heart wrenching and touching look at one man’s journey through World War Two. To many he is simply the sweet, always giggling elderly neighbour, slight of build and frequently smiling.

But behind his gentle British accent and kind eyes is a tale of service in the name of his country during one of the most horrific wars of the 20th century. John Wilkinson was just a boy when he entered the war to be a pilot, and was exceptionally good at his job. He kept meticulous records, and took great care his equipment, items that are now considered priceless antiques.

John Wilkinson is impossible to not love. You hear him speak and you feel as if you have always known him. His disposition is bright, cheerful, and he talks almost fondly of his time in the service. A keen eye though, will see him change topics when asked to discuss the darker bits of his work. The keen eye will see his smile flicker, and a shadow dim his eyes when he talks of watching concentration camp liberations at the end of the war.

John Wilkinson, no doubt, was part of a generation taught that war was noble, honest, just and filled with glory. That generation lived those words, and many paid a dear price to uphold them. Today, many of us see war in a less than glorified light. But the shifting public opinion does not change the sacrifices made by so many. Untold numbers lost their lives, and some, like John, lost their youth and innocence.

What makes John’s story beautiful, touching, and unforgettable is his bright and sunny disposition. It is hard to believe a person so gentle has seen and been part of so many horrors and when asked, he brushes those horrors aside. John Wilkinson’s story, is a story of courage and bravery. It is never more noticed, than how effectively he can mask those tragedies behind a genuine smile. No one will tell you war is a good thing, but good people fight in them. John Wilkinson is one.

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Film Review: GULMARG- PARADISE ON EARTH, Documentary

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Played at the March 2017 DOCUMENTARY Festival

MOVIE POSTERGULMARG – PARADISE ON EARTH, 14min, Australia
Directed by Cassie De Colling

A portrait of a small once wartorn mountain village that has been discovered as a new frontier for western ski tourism. The film explores the past and the future that Gulmarg is undergoing.

Review by Kierston Drier:

 A once war torn area in the now ungoverned mountain range between India and Pakistan, Gulmarg sits, nestled in snow. This film, coming to use from Australia via director Cassie De Colling, follows the inhabitants of the simple town and their largest tourist attraction- Winter Sports.

Gulmarg- Paradise On Earth boasts stunning footage, gorgeous cinematography and beautiful landscapes. But it also tells a story of cultural clash. The primary tourists- Globetrotters from all over flooding into the small village- bring stability and steady income into the area. Yet the also bring ways of life that are not shared by the locals.

Drinking, intoxicated partying and imbibing in certain foods do not mesh well with the religious inhabitants. While the tourists are welcomed, and even encouraged to do the things that make them happy, (and promote the local economy) of Gulmarg, it is not without tensions.

A film about cultural change in the wake of holiday fun, Gulmarg- Paradise On Earth reminds us to take a deeper look at the land we tread on and the neighbours we share. All while showing us the gorgeous topography of the staggeringly beautiful world we live in.

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Film Review: THE BODY I LIVE IN, Documentary

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Played at the March 2017 DOCUMENTARY Festival

MOVIE POSTERTHE BODY I LIVE IN, 7min, USA
Directed by Sam Davis-Boyd

A personal-narrative documentary that follows Sam Boyd on her journey of self-love and acceptance, in a world that tells fat women they don’t deserve it. There is a large cultural narrative about female attractiveness, especially fat woman’s attractiveness (or lack thereof) that pervades fat women from feeling like they deserve to be loved, respected and wanted by another human being in a romantic way.

Review by Kierston Drier:

 Exceptionally strong and unwaveringly brave The Body I Live In directed by Sam Davis-Boyd, follows the narrative story of an American woman on the journey of love. Not romantic love, she’s found that, by means of a caring and supportive fiance.

But the love for herself is another story entirely. Despite being a beautiful, funny, inspiring woman, Sam is plus size. She grapples with the emotional and social repercussions of this everyday.

In Sam’s journey, we see her family, her partner and herself talking openly and honestly about what it means to live in their bodies and how it is to see Sam in hers.

This director should be commended for the honesty she puts into her work, and the very real world she puts the audience in. More importantly, this film leaves no easy answers, but still manages to show us unbreakable positivity. Sam has a rich full life, lacking in nothing sweet, loving or wonderful, and she knows it. For those watching The Body I Live In, there is much to love.

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Film Review: THE SAD MONK, Documentary

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Played at the March 2017 DOCUMENTARY Festival

THE SAD MONK, 11min. Germany
Directed by Diana Frankovic

Following this path to Nepal, we meet the young Tibetan buddhist monk Tenzin, a representative of a new generation, who is grappling with the questions of life and his religion. But instead of enlightenment, we find doubtful young monks who are asking the same kind of questions about their lives as we do about ours.

Review by Kierston Drier:

 Coming to us from Germany, The Sad Monk directed by Diana Frankovic, follows Tibetan Monk Tenzin and his journey through the corporal world. Monks’ are considered followers of faith, aspiring to higher purposes and searching for greater goals than found in the material world. This is why The Sad Monk is a rare find- it showcases the struggles one must face when committing to a life of higher aspirations.

Tenzin joined the Monastery as a young boy, but as he grew, so did he yearnings for the outside world. We see him weaves his way through the emotional up and downs of a life of solitude, a lack of material possessions, sexual frustration, longing for close personal friendships outside of the monastery, and a desire to see the world. As Tenzin even states, Monks must do everything alone, even experience joy.

What is most captivating about this bright and brilliant piece, outside of the fascinating character of Tenzin and the unique approach to his life- is the music. We may often think of a mon living a life of quiet reflection, but Tenzin lives in a world of vibrant sound. The bustle of the towns and streets surrounding the monastery are ever present, perhaps a constant reminder of what lives just outside of Tenzin’s reach. A poetic and beautiful look at one human life and the sacrifices made in the pursuit of our faith.

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Film Review: BOTTICELLI – INFERNO (Germany/Italy 2016)

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botticelli_inferno_posterDirected by Ralph Loop

Up next in Event Cinema’s In the Gallery series is Botticelli – Inferno. The documentary takes audiences on a journey to discover the secrets behind Botticelli’s iconic “Map of Hell” painting.

The hidden stories behind some works of art are the most exciting, fascinating and engaging, so much so that they can even surpass any world-renowned, best-selling thriller. When one merges the style of one of the undisputed masters of the Renaissance, Sandro Botticelli, with the dark circles of Hell in Dante’s Inferno, the result is an intriguing plot made up of deadly sins, detailed investigations, inaccessible vaults, and seemingly unsolvable enigmas. Even after many centuries Botticelli’s works continue to engage and excite. Every year his most famous paintings draw thousands upon thousands of visitors to museums and exhibitions all over the world. However one of his most intimate and mysterious drawings – perhaps one of the most significant if we are to achieve a deeper understanding of him – lay locked up for years in the climate-controlled vaults of the Vatican. This is the drawing that Botticelli dedicated to Dante’s Inferno , and which has now taken the leading role in an original, exciting documentary film.

Everyone is intrigued by the unknown. And if the unknown is scary, interest will be picquet even more. So, Botticelli’s painting of hell has fascinated admirers from the past to the present. The recent Ron Howard thriller INFERNO with Tom hanks is an example of Hollywood banking on Botticelli’s Inferno.

But it is Dante’s Inferno. The Renaissance master Botticelli spent over a decade painting and drawing hell as the poet Dante (his vision of the Underworld) described it. The film takes us on a journey through hell with fascinating and exciting insights into Botticelli’s art and its hidden details.

The film is shot all around Europe in exclusive locations such as the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the Vatican Library and more.

The voiceover is in the first person, as Botticelli, talking about his paintings and of his life in Florence. Director Loop also enlists an expert, an Italian historian who knows the city of Florence in the Rainnasance era to narrate part of the film. It helps that he is an extremely spirited (and knowledgable) person, who brings some humour and spirit to the film. As a result, the film would cater was well to the interest many who have limited knowledge of Bottlicelli. The film is also brought into the present with its restoration. The shots of the digital image scanning that reveals the detail of Botticelli’s details are remarkable – the benefits of modern technology.

The most interesting segment of the film is the illustration of modern drawings in contrast to what were done in the age of Botticelli. Now paintings are created using virtual ink on virtual materials using computer software. The film sidetracks too on the Scots influence. The Duke of Hamilton acquired a substantial amount of Botticelli’s manuscripts.

The film will run in participating Cineplex theatres January 18 and 29, 2017. For theatres and showtimes, please visit
cineplex.com/Gallery

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lobp5HK-TmA&feature=youtu.be

 

 

 

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Film Review: THE KUSBEGI (Mongolia) Documentary

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Played at the November 2016 Best of Short Documentary FEEDBACK Film Festival.

THE KUSBEGI, 2min, Mongolia, Documentary
Directed by Johnny Cullen

A short film about Kazakh Eagle Hunters in Western Mongolia.

REVIEW by Kierston Drier: 

Kusbegi comes to us from Mongolia, boasting beautiful riveting imagery and opulent cinematography. A sample short for what could easy be a feature, Kusbegi tells a visual tale of the Mongolian Eagle hunters. The cinematography is utterly spell binding and the keen attention to visual details leaves the viewers’ wanting more.

 

Kusbegi merely wets the palate of what must be a rich, deep and complex culture of the Mongolian people. Their relationship with animals, tamed and untamed, is a remarkable alliance worthy of observation. Creating a deep and sensuous feel to the intimacy of a lone hunter in the pursuit of the necessary catch. The thrill, the patience, the focus- are all beautifully translated in this radiant visual masterpiece.

 

While Kusbegi as a short film seems to lend itself to a larger, more fleshed-out feature film, the short is no less enjoyable. Subtle, bright and flawlessly cinegraphic, Kusbegi is a film to capture your heart.

 

 

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Film Review: NO SIGNAL (Spain) Experimental Documentary

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Played at the November 2016 Best of Short Documentary FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERNO SIGNAL, 1min., Spain, Documentary
Directed by Alaa Chnana

From all the acts of the present, the one can affect the past as well as the future is the war.

REVIEW by Kierston Drier: 

No Signal  a riveting, stylized look at the crisis of war in Syria, is a study in interpretation. It it s a film that highlights the very raw, very gritty ravages of war against, and the highlight reel of pain engraved upon the memories of the people it affects.

 

The open, expressionless faces of Syrian refugees of young, old, large and small are superimposed on lightning-fast intercuts of media images of war and destruction. The effect of this stylized work is powerful and thought-provoking, begging the audience to question if we are looking at a human beings’ memories, or if we are looking at the war through the media that is used to describe their lives.

 

Ultimately, No Signal expresses the idea that we are really only ever scratching the surface of what is affected by war and political conflict. So often the rapid fire images we are bombarded with through the media dehumanize the suffering faced by real people every day.

No Signal brings us back to this humanity, by showing us these media images against the backdrop of human beings we do not know- yet we certainly recognize.

Technically speaking, the editing of No Signal must be highly commended. The sheer volume of media images that are used are superbly intercut and seamlessly tailored together. No Signal has a simple approach to storytelling that is effective and powerful, and for that, it is a film worth seeing.

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Film Review: TIME (Hong Kong) Documentary

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Played at the November 2016 Best of Short Documentary FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERTIME, 3min., Hong Kong, Docuementary
Directed by Tak Chun Patrick Cheung

In 1951 the Hong Kong clock tower was built in the district of Tsim Sha Tsui. After all this time overlooking the Victoria Harbour for 100 years, no one has realised until now that a mysterious power from the clock will change the course of time.

REVIEW by Kierston Drier: 

Time is a three-minute visual masterpiece, a stunning flurry of life, light and impeccable sound that follows one full day and night in the busy metropolis of Hong Kong. Following the image of the Iconic Hong Kong Clock Tower, TIME takes us through the cities, the roads, the boardwalks, the citysquares, the ferries wheels and the billboards of a city that never slows down.

 

Compellingly shot, flawlessly composed and brilliantly dynamic in every angle and dimension, TIME will leave you undeniably spellbound. The music entices you, the visual unity is engaging and the spectacle engulfs you in another world.

 

What is perhaps most compelling about TIME, from a cinematic and philosophical point of view, is how much modern Hong Kong mirrors any other high-profile metropolis. New York, Bejing, Paris, San Francisco, Toronto, Rome- could equally rival the brilliant days and vibrant nightlife. In this way TIME does something magical- it shows you a different world that is remarkably relatable. It takes you to another place, and still manages to make you think of home. A gripping, visually engaging, brilliant piece of cinema that takes us around the world and back again while never having to leave our seat.

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Film Review: GAYROUTH (France/Lebanon) Documentary

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Played at the November 2016 Best of Short Documentary FEEDBACK Film Festival.

GAYROUTH 31min., France/Lebanon, Documentary
Directed by Charbel Raad

To be gay in Beirut, one of the most open minded capitals in the Middle East, which is sinking in the era of repressions, is not as easy as it looks. This documentary tells an exceptional and an uncommon story of two lives.

REVIEW by Kierston Drier: 

Sharp, poignant, heartbreaking and unexpectedly funny, Gayruth follows the raw, gritty stories to two homosexual men and their separate lives while living Lebanon, where homosexuality is still widely frowned upon. Hiding their lifestyles and identities from their families (and to some degree the film crew) it reminds us what a very grave risk our subjects take exposing themselves to film.

 

Gayrouth takes a journey through the uneasy realities of a homosexual lifestyle in Beirut, focusing on the struggles to carve out peace for ones’ self in a sea of disapproval from both the personal and public spectrum. Gayrouth must be commended on all the areas it covers in the short time it has to make its’ statements. It touches on the disconnect and even breakdown of family ties for those who are hiding their sexuality.  It explores the ostracisation of one from their community. Most tragically, it showcases the personal story of one man’s emotional and psychological breakdown after his isolation turns him to a life a anonymous sex, and his struggle to pull himself out of the abusive cycle.  

 

And yet, lingering in all these deep, intense and heavy emotional moments- are islands of laughter, beats of humor, images of happiness- the moments when one of our heros’ is with his partner. We see, through the closed doors of a life lived hidden away- the love that makes the sacrifice.

 

Gayrouth is an emotionally hard-hitting film, which takes a real look at the struggles and risks of what it means to be “out” in an unwelcoming place. However it also shows hope and happiness. It shows love that preserves. It shows lives worthy of loving without fear. For these reason, watch Gayrouth.

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Film Review: THE NINTH OVEN (Mexico). Documentary

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Played at the November 2016 Best of Short Documentary FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERTHE NINTH OVEN, 10min., Mexico, Documentary
Directed by Erika Oregel

A boy of 14 years is living his last years childhood before having 15 years; years in which is legal to work in Mexico. He has been working illegaly since 9 years old to work and get a living with his grandmother.

REVIEW by Kierston Drier: 

The Ninth Oven, a short, stunning piece hailing from Mexico, follows a young boy and his journey through the illegal work he does to help support his family. Our hero, a spirited teenager, has juggled school, studying and working as a brick maker since the age of nine. Illegal though it is to be employed so young, our protagonists approaches his situation with admirable maturity.

The Ninth Oven has an unassuming charm about it. It’s approach to the realities of life in the rural area are looked at through the eyes of our young male lead. As such, the larger political and economic issues connected to child labour are subtle- a microscopic view of a larger social issue. Through the lense of the hero nothing seems abnormal. His bright and effervescent optimism is a constant source of pride to his family and loved ones. His dedication to his family, his work and his future easily tug the heartstrings of any audience. The Ninth Oven takes a look at child labor from the perspective of the laborer who does not see their work as a cross to bear- but a challenge they must rise to. It is impossible not to like our hero, as he explains he does not desire a life of wealth or affluence- he only wants to have enough to be happy. A nobel and astute goal for someone so young.

 

Brightly shot, The Ninth Oven is a beautifully woven story that makes us imagine what it is like to live in other parts of the world and that adulthood is rarely a matter of chronological age.

 

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