AFRYKAMERA
THE BIG AFRICAN BLUE - 4 SHORT DOCUMENTARIES:
ULWANDLE (THE OCEAN)
TURTLE FRIEND
PHEFUMLA (BREATHE)
HLULEKA
All watchable. Overtalked documentaries about fishermen not catching enough fish nowadays. Occasional glimpses of blue water or of fish or lobster reward your effort to some extent.
WATCH DOCS ONLINE
WATCH SHORTS 2 : BELARUS. THE TURN OF THE SCREW
The set of 3 short films comprised of:
ARTYKUL 293 (ARTICLE 293)
Recommended. Harrowing, tear-jerking at times. Footage of brutal pacifications of protesters mixes with testimonies and shots of their massacred bodies. The doctor's behaviour stands out as particularly callous. It's clear there's no return to ordinary life in Belarus after that.
МУРЫ (WALLS)
Recommended. A tear-jerker based on the unknown, e.g. when parents wait outside prison walls to enquire about their son, are let in and never come out. On the other hand, you get some hearsay about Lukashenko's past - dismissed from the army because of his rowdy and aggressive behaviour.
GENERATION 328
Recommended. Incredible how tough Belarussian law is on drug possession. You get to see the impact on families and their stance.
And outside the set:
OSTATNIE POKOLENIE (THE LAST GENERATION)
Watchable. The 59-minute Polish documentary about young climate activists portrays the people and how they, and partly the film, miss the point. One of the activists smokes all the time. Maybe she should read about its impact on climate change. When a campaigner says: "she could live in a 3-room flat", it presents narrow-mindedness - mine is smaller than that, for one. The film lacks showing their non-consumer - I hope - lifestyle.
AFRYKAMERA
AFROSHORTY
The set of 8 short films comprised of:
A YFIRBORDINU (ON THE SURFACE)
Watchable. On the surface physically and metaphorically. Basic form, the content a bit unusual for African cinema since it deals with the hardship of giving birth.
DORLIS
Watchable. Hard to decipher but most likely about sexual abuse in childhood.
الست (AL-SIT)
Recommended. Colonial versus traditional, mysterious and ambiguous - open to a few different interpretations, only women's power is certain. Also visually attractive when the cotton wool swirls in the air.
THE SHACK
Watchable. Only an interior and text to read. The tale is empathetic though.
HEAVEN SOUNDS BORING
Recommended. About a girl who's seriously ill, probably with AIDS. The topic of animalistic beliefs versus Christianity enriches the tale.
ستاشر (I AM AFRAID TO FORGET YOUR FACE)
Recommended. Mysterious and moving when you realize the depth of the man's love.
THE DARK ONE
Recommended. A documentary looking at the issue of skin whitening from all angles. Enlightening. In an engaging form, with great pictures and sound.
خديجة KHADIGA
Watchable. Off screen sounds of a train and of children form a powerful backdrop to the main story which is hard to comprehend and poorly acted.
And, outside the set, a feature film:
HAINGOSOA
Watchable. Entertaining local Madagascan music and dancing accompany an average tale of a wannabe musician. Pleasant. Actress Marina Christine Amagoa is an amazing dancer. You also get a chance to snatch a few glimpses of 'Tana' (Antananarivo).
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