14TH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WATCH DOCS
BROTHER'S KEEPER
Watchable. Very slow and American way full of talking heads. What's interesting is the clash of city and village lifestyles and perceptions.
DZIECI DZWONIA (CHILDREN CALLING)
Watchable. Most calls are pranks so while I was curious to hear why children need psychological support on the phone, not much was serious.
WEB JUNKIE
Watchable. The cinema was full of addicts. A good film showing how to treat such an addiction. I guess I'd like it better if it had more science, not just scenes from the boot camp.
The most chilling was a comment from the audience. Apparently nowadays parents give a computer even to a 2-year-old in a cot so that the child plays with it and parents have the kid off for a couple of hours. It seems to be a norm even in Poland.
GRINGO TRAILS
Watchable. A behind-the-scenes look at tourism and its impact on communities. Shows different issues from various perspectives. Lacks a bite.
THE ENGINEER
Watchable. A bit of CSI, a bit of social psychology. The film however doesn't say much about how gans work in El Salvador. In the 1.5 hour long Q&A the Guatemalan director explained what was missing in the film. I'm looking forward to his upcoming exploration of the roots of violence in the region (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras).
CROP
Watchable. It's an account of how a president wished to be shown in the media. Some tricks are revealed, still it's about one politician only.
NATIONAL DIPLOMA
Watchable. Truth about getting the school ending certificate in black Africa (the Congo) - corruption, magic etc. Nothing new for an africanist, yet highlighting vital cultural differences. A reason why their qualifications shouldn't be accepted as equal to ours.
A QUIET INQUISITION
Watchable. The film proves that several abortions are needed in order to save women's lives. A bit too much talking about the doctors' dilemmas. The election-driven law implementation is menacing. It was powerful but could be more if presented more dramatically, without talking about each day of a victim's dying.
WERKA
Watchable. It's uplifting to see how a person can change, yet doesn't fully explain the motives. Why is it children that have become the woman's vocation?
SOLIDARNOSC WEDLUG KOBIET (SOLIDARITY ACCORDING TO WOMEN)
Recommended. Michael Moore-style insight into the change of the society - how gender inequality was perceived as normal and how women were manipulated out of power by their male co-unionists.
WHITEY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA V. JAMES J. BULGER
Watchable but I considered walking out. Scary how corrupted FBI in Boston was. Unfortunately the reason why Bulger couln't be captured for 3 decades gets revealed too soon so the film lacks suspense. It's also full of talkative talking heads so you fall asleep, wake up and they're still talking about the same. Each character has a full chance of expressing him/herself even it's going to bore you to death.
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