Varun Chopra’s 6-minute documentary Misfits buzzes with righteous anger. Yet the anger is restrained, almost choosing to laugh at the absurdity of things than let bare its teeth. For its relatively short duration, it tells rounded stories of four different people who are forced to fight against the unjust boxes into which a prejudicial society… Continue reading Misfits: A Labyrinth of Prejudice
Tag: Documentary Review
My Gypsy Road: Journeys Of Historical Significance And The Joys Of Theatre
A 28-minute documentary on Nataliya Tsekova, Bulgaria’s first Roma actress, My Gypsy Road (directed by Vilma Kartalska) closely examines its subject and the constituent parts of her life—her past and the many-layered present. With Tsekova at the centre, the story branches out to include her personal life, performances and her work with children. The latter… Continue reading My Gypsy Road: Journeys Of Historical Significance And The Joys Of Theatre
Country and Courage: On The Lives And Histories Of U.S. Veterans
Rodney Roldan’s 41-minute documentary, Country and Courage, is intended as a tribute to American military veterans on the occasion of Veterans Day. Featuring four soldiers, two veterans and two in active service, the film attempts to raise awareness about military life and the aftermath, mainly tackling PTSD. It uses Shakespeare to drive the narrative forward,… Continue reading Country and Courage: On The Lives And Histories Of U.S. Veterans
Échale Ganas: Documentary Of Survival, Success And Family
Like the man himself, Échale Ganas: The Villa’s Taco Story is bursting with energy. The 30-minute documentary following Victor Villa and his pop-up taco stand, directed by Yumeng He, is as much about food as it is about home, and as much about entrepreneurship as about building community. Tying it all together is systemic inequality,… Continue reading Échale Ganas: Documentary Of Survival, Success And Family
C L I N C H: An Honest Recording Of Uncertainty
Of the many lives the pandemic derailed, Fred Ouro Preto’ film C L I N C H documents the lives of four athletes, forced to shelve their careers, quarantine in their gym, and together battle the uncertainty of a crisis without an end date. The fighters—Jefferson “Barba” Luan, Guilherme Senegal, Josué Neto, Erick “Sorriso” Washington,… Continue reading C L I N C H: An Honest Recording Of Uncertainty
The Doll: Why A Child Sees Marriage As Escape
Elahe Esmaili’s 33-minute documentary, The Doll, on the deliberations and uncertainty over the marriage of a 14-year old Iranian girl is a gripping film with an uncanny ability to be subtle and maintain restraint, and yet pose questions for its subjects and its audience. This leads to fascinating character studies, as well as the depiction of… Continue reading The Doll: Why A Child Sees Marriage As Escape
Always Fast, Hardly Accurate: A Love Letter To Punk
Shot over a mere two days, Always Fast, Hardly Accurate, Milton’s documentary about the punk scene in New York, glows with palpable affection—both between the people in it, and the filmmakers. The 24-minute film focuses especially on the female-led Flasyd, but is also nestled between the stories and works of other punk bands, sharing between them lively, eccentric friendships.… Continue reading Always Fast, Hardly Accurate: A Love Letter To Punk
Sleepwalker: A Documentary Of Regret
Sleepwalker, Andrea Yu-Chieh Chung’s 9-minute documentary on the Sunflower Movement in Taiwan, is a very personal essay that examines the fear and grief of having a home in turmoil. But what makes it particularly personal and specific is Chung’s regret at having sleepwalked through the period, thriving in the safety of her insulated world. This regret becomes the… Continue reading Sleepwalker: A Documentary Of Regret
Point Symmetry: The Aftermath Of Hate
The 16-minute documentary, Point Symmetry does something unusual: it highlights the experience of a daughter confronting the legacy of having a Nazi father. Directed and shot by Anna Panova, this is one half of a film that tells two parallel stories, starting off on extreme opposites, finally meeting, decades later, at a common point: hurt… Continue reading Point Symmetry: The Aftermath Of Hate
Yesteryear: A Nostalgic Source Of Comfort During Trying Times
Photos, homemade videos have a distinct vibe to them. Regardless of whose ever it is, the grainy film, sepia-toned images carry a charm of a bygone era and time that warm our hearts. Nostalgia is what we turn to when reality becomes too much to bear. And in Chris Esper’s 13:52-minute documentary, we do precisely… Continue reading Yesteryear: A Nostalgic Source Of Comfort During Trying Times