The ending of 2020 was so packed with festivals I needed to sleep it off. So below are movies still from those events:
AFRYKAMERA ONLINE
NAIROBI HALF LIFE
Watchable. An enjoyable crime drama with so many humorous scenes and lines you could take it for a comedy if it weren't for a more serious final act. The plot's rooted in real life. The city is dubbed Nairobbery for a reason. A friend of mine was once lifted up in the air by a few thugs who robbed her off. In the film, once a wannabe actor arrives in Nairobi, a few thugs lift him up to shake out his cash and precious objects. In another scene, a mugged chap is running after the robbers who, suddenly, turn back and shout "mwizi!" ("thief!") pointing at the victim - I haven't heard of such a trick but it appears plausible. The non-crime layer attempts at conveying a deeper message, e.g.: "it is a choice: to look or to look away" as he utters on the stage but dwells on ambivalence: acting saves his life but doesn't save him from a life of crime.
AU TEMPS OU LES ARABES DANSAIENT (WHEN ARABS DANCED)
Watchable. The documentary had better be titled "When Muslims Enjoyed Sensuality" since Persians are not Arabs and the film covers the Muslim outlook on the body extensively, mostly dealing with nudity in a number of contexts rather than dancing. That's probably for a reason since a dancer is almost a synonym of "a whore" in the Islamic culture. We hear of a case when a marriage proposal was rejected by a bride's family when they googled up the groom's mother's job. At the same time, the Egyptian dance instructor remarks: "Islam teaches to glide through life and be light in your step and this is dance." In a performance rehearsal, a man recites the shahada naked - that still makes him Muslim but would cause an outrage in the audience. On the other hand, you learn that a few decades ago the idea that all Egyptian women should wear hijabs was ridiculed. Still, the documentary is overtalked. It shows some beautiful dance but too little. The whole thing is humdrum.
A TASTE OF OUR LAND
Recommended. Quite an actioner but also a moral tale about gold which corrupts everyone. The ore gets filthy twice - through faeces but is also thrown into water - which symbolically purifies it. Numerous parties are implicated: corporations, the police, all foreigners, the Church. Camerawork and playing with space skillfully demonstrate how a protagonist stands up hence assumes the position of power but the Chinese man walks around his house like he owns it. Beautiful local music - joyful at the beginning and sad at the end. A proof that a low budget movie with the right script and actors, especially Peter Kye as the Chinese man, can deliver great emotions and suspense.
SOFTIE
Watchable. The film starts with a bang and bloody omens, then loses momentum to pick it up in the finale. Kenya is a country corrupt to the core. Cambridge Analytica is the least of their election problems since voters are routinely bribed even right outside polling stations, in fact, they come in droves just to earn cash, in 2017, the head of the country's digital voting system was murdered 8 days before the voting and his hands were chopped off probably to use his fingerprints biometrics to rig the results, last but not least, opposition candidates' voters were shot at and tear gas was released on them. The violence and killings continued for months. The winning opposition candidate in the meantime made a deal with the ruling party's leader ignoring those who had died for his win. With such material, it's only a shame the documentary is full-length with the middle filled with too much footage of the candidate's family. At least the campaign songs have catchy tunes.
LA NUIT DES ROIS (NIGHT OF THE KINGS)
Watchable. The night when kings come and go is a case of style over substance. This Ivorian offering is based round the tradition of oral literature passed on by griots. It's different from European storytelling. Also in the film, there's more interaction with the audience: the listeners answer the griot's questions, repeat verses, enact them - according to the tradition of West Africa. The storyline derives from the legend of Sheherezade but in a prison setting - original but the story the boy tells truly only buys him time and takes viewers' since it's inconsistent and sketchy. Songs are scarce but melodious.
POPPIE NONGENA
Recommended. Pure perfection: a Xhosa woman's personal account of the Soweto clearing. Superbly acted and shot. A simple yet powerful story, with exquisite songs in Xhosa.
KATI KATI
Recommended again. Captivating from frame one. Mystery pervades the whole film. This climate is achieved through the use of just one location as well as appropriate cinematography, costumes and make-up. Gradually, you learn how the protagonists leave the place and why they are at the spot but not why they arrive there at different times or why the time runs differently. A pool-side song says: "we never know till we try" which is true off-screen as well. Music-wise, drum beat at the basketball game is fun.
The film captions often read: "(eerie sounds continue)" or "(electronic music)" but little of the music was audible. Still, it doesn't detract from this captivating tale.
AR CONDICIONADO (AIR CONDITIONER)
Switched off. Artsy. Starts with dictionary definitions of "air" and "conditioning", next come high-contrast black and white stills of the makers and the movie pretext is air conditioners falling down and killing people all of Luanda. The ingenious idea is wasted through the plot: the characters mostly ramble through derelict buildings or stare for minutes at a time. I just didn't have Angolan patience. Especially that the ambience was created by awful jazz music.
PARA LA DOS MEUS PASSOS (BEYOND MY STEPS)
Watchable. Surprisingly tiring for a dance documentary. The Angolan dancers are superb, shame they act in such over intellectualised performances. Too much theatricality as opposed to dancing, also philosophy pervaded the interviews. In that detached way, they talk about their professional development and you hear how the city takes its toll on the countryside boys. Hectic city life is juxtaposed with the beauty and tranquillity of Angolan nature. You can admire the dancers' impressive muscles. Though horror-like choreography in a derelict building is far from enticing.
BE POLAR FILM FESTIVAL ONLINE
LOSING ALASKA
Switched off. A very close look at just one village and it's a full-length film where each part of the village is shown several times and everyone gets a say - American democratic style of documentary-shooting, so you hear everyone grumble one after another. Could be cut short to 5 minutes with no loss of actual information.
RUCH LODU (ICE MOTION: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE MELTING ARCTIC)
Watchable. Pleasant cinematography offers sweeping Arctic vistas. You learn important facts, e.g. that a 10 degree Celsius temperature rise in Svalbard by 2100 is very likely and that melting polar regions will change oceanic currents unpredictably. But even though it's short, too much time is devoted to technicalities of such research.
CAMERIMAGE DZIECIOM - ONLINE
AMAZONIA
Recommended again. The monkey lead protagonist is all cuteness. Swathes of the forest, meanders of the river and phenomenal close-ups on rarely seen animals, e.g. anteaters. Also a swimming sloth, pink dolphins, a leopard shaking off water - pure beauty of nature.
BE POLAR FILM FESTIVAL ONLINE
ПРИБОЙ (SURF SIBERIA)
Recommended. Not for the surfing since it's no Australia, you get higher breakers outside Siberia. But the vistas of the Arctic, including winter ones, are mind-blowing. And the woman talking about what it feels like and how she was anxious before she started feels so genuine and un-heroic.
The whole festival was well-organized. One-off evening screenings kept me disciplined but allowed for flexibility with start times and for pausing. The audio and subtitles were usually up to scratch. The selection of recent movies was excellent - geographically and topic-wise. Many were of top quality too. Some films were available freely during the whole festival which let me see everything I wanted. I only skipped old documentaries because the world and the polar regions have changed too much over decades rendering the information out-of-date.
CAMERIMAGE DZIECIOM - ONLINE
RAOUL TABURIN
Recommended. A delightful tale about a peculiar village and individuals. Good-humoured.
I found time for just two films on Camerimage Dzieciom offer - both were perfect in every way. I only regret it ended so soon.
I saw 364 movies in 2020 in total - counting only cinema ones and those which would have had cinema releases had it not been for the lockdown.
