The synopsis is available elsewhere and I have no idea how to review a film like this so here are a few simple lines: I have never seen anything remotely like this and would go as far as to say that it is one of the most honest portrayals of several aspects of the human psyche I have ever experienced in any medium. It's not a pleasant film but I can't give it any less than full marks for its bravery, arrogance and honesty when dealing with an uncomfortable aspect of our species. Joshua Oppenheimer (dir.) understands the social norms of his subjects' environment and also their own egos and greed, shows us so that we also understand and then uses all he has learned to get them to openly reveal all directly to the audience, pretty much by luring them. It's obvious that with the backstory and footage used he already had more than enough for a documentary film and it seems as though he thought 'I have a better plan' and then made this film instead, in the ultimate quest for knowledge. Beyond words and essential. Note: There is a companion to this called 'The Look of Silence', which is a different type of film altogether and one that sheds much extra light onto the the events of this time and place but from a different perspective and this is also recommended, albeit not as strongly.
Here and Elsewhere takes its name from the contrasting footage it shows of the fedayeen and of a French family watching television at home. Originally shot by the Dziga Vertov Group as a film on Palestinian freedom fighters, Godard later reworked the material alongside Anne-Marie Miéville.
A compelling look at the dangerous, continuing risks committed journalists face in Mexico, where reporting on their country’s corruption and “narco politics” has led to the silencing and killing of some of their peers.
Released from prison, former oil oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky expounds on his newfound freedom and complex relationship with Vladimir Putin.
A porn-loving, Charles Manson-befriending, Mississippi Republican runs to become the next sheriff.
The film tells about a previously unknown episode of Paul Robeson’s biography — a secret conversation in 1949 in a room at the Moscow Hotel with the Jewish poet Itzik Feffer, who told Robeson the circumstances of Mikhoels' death. Paul Robeson Jr. shares his memories, having learned about this secret just before the death of his father, and it is the first time he tells the filmmakers about it.
After the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004, widowed women struggled to receive aid due to their social status. Following the story of Mrs. Manjula along with many other women from Tamil Nadu, the challenges faced by millions of widows across the country are illuminated. From being ostracized to denied basic rights and economic opportunities, widows in India endure a cycle of discrimination and marginalization. “Kalangarai” meaning "lighthouse" in Tamil, is an organization dedicated to empowering women through initiatives such as self-help groups and educational programs. Throughout the film, "Lighthouse" illustrates the emotional journeys and resilience of these women, as well as the active change that Kalangarai strives to achieve. This documentary urges global awareness and support for widowed women’s rights, as the women’s struggles depict the intersectionality of gender, poverty, and social injustice.
First feature-length documentary to explore in depth a mysterious woman’s influence on George Washington, his vision for America, and its independence – a vision that can deeply influence the nation’s need for healing and unity.
THE ARYANS is Mo Asumang's personal journey into the madness of racism during which she meets German neo-Nazis, the US leading racist, the notorious Tom Metzger and Ku Klux Klan members in the alarming twilight of the Midwest. In The ARYANS Mo questions the completely wrong interpretation of "Aryanism" - a phenomenon of the tall, blond and blue-eyed master race.
An optician grapples with the Indonesian mass killings of 1965-1966, during which his older brother was exterminated.
A documentary following the civil rights movement and how the media, in particular the burgeoning TV, was used to fight for equality in the 1960s. From Selma to Charlottesville, we also see how modern activists use today's technology to continue fighting injustice today.