Tag: documentary

Categories
Cinema

The Compellingly Divine

A seemingly straightforward two-hour documentary of Pope Francis, Francesco otherwise manages to compel. Directed by Evgeny Afineevsky, the film is noteworthy for mostly competent direction and production values.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1936. He is the first Pope to be born outside Europe since Gregory III (731–741). As the new Pope he took the name of Francis. His untimely succession to Pope Benedict XVI was the result of the former’s ill health. Francis was also following a conservative Pope with outspoken and often controversial values.

A Pope Who Questions the Institutional Status Quo

Francesco follows Fernando Meirelles’s dramatization The Two Popes (2019). Jonathan Pryce played Pope Francis, and Anthony Hopkins was Pope Benedict XVI. The Two Popes imagined a bromance of sorts between the outgoing conservative and incoming liberal. There was also Wim Wenders’ documentary Pope Francis: A Man of His Word (2018). This film lauded Francis’ concerns with issues such as the climate crisis, refugees and inequality. Likewise, Francesco shows he is an outspoken critic of unbridled capitalism and free market economics, consumerism, and over development. Since 2018, he has also been an opponent of populism. At the same time, he has welcomed tolerance for the LGBT community in the Church.

On the global stage, Pope Francis has helped to restore full diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba. He also supported the cause of refugees during the European and Central American migrant crises. Furthermore, he has tackled child abuse, particularly a case in Santiago, Chile. Juan Carlos Cruz wrote to the Pope detailing his abuse from Father Fernando Karadima. After initially dismissing this claim, Francis eventually defrocked Karadima and apologized to Cruz.

Francesco also remains respectably (or, perhaps, forcibly) distanced. At times it raises the question of how much the director had direct access to his subject. For example, included is some footage of Francis talking to someone off-camera. There are also excessive drone shots, and Francis only seemingly gives interviews to friends and colleagues.

On the whole, Francesco is a worthwhile and at times enigmatic portrait of Pope Francis. Despite occasional editing flaws and questionable one-sidedness, it opens a window on the head of the Catholic Church.

By Steve Yates

Categories
Fashion

Fake It Til,,

FAKE IT!

The age of “fake it til you make it” is upon us. The “Bling Culture” is about of looking rich if you are not. A substitution quick fix as a result of income inequality, lack of access to a better life so people show off. In your face consumption means being humble is old fashion, today it is all about the over the top lifestyle.

Documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield tackles modern world values from beauty, gender, and consumerism in her new work Generation Wealth.

The last years of the Roman Empire were decadent. You see in the movie “ I think you have to have a very bad crash in order to wake up” states Greenfield. There is more hope in the movie than in the my book, which feels like we are dancing on the deck of the Titanic but in the film I feel people are waking up, making choices.

“The Kim Kardashian Effect” of middle class women becoming prostitute and porn stars to gain quick access to money is now acceptable. In one generation what was once considered “bad taste” can be considered “good taste”. The value of hard work is lost.

A question I asked at the interview

Film Director and Photographer Lauren Greenfield at the Berlinale

How do you balance being a critic and being a participant?

My work has come from this place. I studied visual anthropology at Harvard. I have always thrived and able to do my work being on this line as an outsider and insider, working for “W” and “Harpers Bazaar”. I lived in the eye of the storm. Working for these publications gave me access.

Being from a Middle class family but I sometimes desired what the rich LA kids had, even thought I had all that I needed. It made me introspective about the source of the desire. My subjects in the film are like this.

In the film, the 13 year, Adam, his family rented the The Whiskey A GO GO on Sunset Blvd with go go girls for his party. They spent $50.000. He says, “you have to spend this money or you are S*it out of luck!” Then he says “money ruins kids”. He has that insight but is a part of the process.

This is not a story of evil rich people but a story of how all of us are a part of this complicity, the aspiration. Materialism, wealth, theses are ingredients of the modern dream. While watching I had a sad realization. I recognized a lot behavior traits but I know none of the people on screen.

Generation Wealth is well produced, at times, a sad reflection of who or what we are desperately grabbing for the trappings of splendor. There are no new questions raised in the documentary because the same ones have been around since Reagan’s Neo Liberal agenda. What Greenfield shows are the effects of a doctrine based on having it all.  Are we willing participants, witnesses? When do the effects of the drug end?  While not thought provoking, it makes you think.

Generation Wealth was screened in the Panorama Section at the Berlinale in February 2018.

Check selected local cinemas for the Amazon Studios release.

Sponsored by Canon Camera and Pringle of Scotland.

Categories
Fashion

Cinema. This Should Be Interesting!

A Black and Paper Cinema Recommendation.

Categories
Cinema

Berlinale-Strong Island

Black and Paper interview with Director Yance Ford.

“Strong Island” is a documentary that is topical on a social and historical, the shooting of an unharmed African American Man followed by a criminal justice system that vilifies a person of color with a “Guilty Label” regardless of the circumstances and ultimate outcome.  The 107 minute film investigates the 1992 murder of Mr. Ford’s older brother, William Ford Jr, who was involved in an altercation with car mechanic Mark Reilly.   

The Limo at the scene of the crime, chop shop, while the police were there, was there a mafia connection to the garage?

No, it was not Mafia.  The limo’s owner was the father of the owner of the garage. He was a wealthy builder.   I put these pieces together of what happened that night.  There was no proof concerning who was in the limo at the time.  The guy who shot my brother called his father first, then the police.   Funny enough Mark Reilly is now in prison for dumping illegal materials.

The Red Lining in your neighborhood, was this a form of segregation? 

Yes, of course! It was institutionalized.  This structure or form of segregation started with the GI Bill.  African American soldiers could not take total advantage of the bill. There were restrictive clauses, where you buy, what articles did not apply based on skin color selling, buying, and reselling housing.  My Black colleagues have had this experience but my White colleagues are in shock.  They are surprised because they have never known this.

Was your brother the victim of same script different cast, unharmed African American, armed white man?

That has been the script for generations.  My grandfather died of an asthma attack because he had to wait in the hospital waiting area because he was Black.  It is a script as old as America.

The police description of the hyper black body; powerful, oversize, strong, all of the words pointed to aggression, aggressive.  None of  “facts” added up. The autopsy report and pictures were not aligned.   The guy shot my brother because he could.  It was easy to take a Black Life.

“Judge People by Character not Color” was a quote from your mother in the film; did your mother question this value assumption after your brother’s death?

Yes! She was devastated. It was a realization.   Character not color does not apply when you are Black.  My mother has been 2nd guessing herself ever since, did she do her son a disservice by teaching him what Dr. King taught.  She did not think it was mistake until after police investigation, wrestling with this feeling of “what if”.

Why aren’t you angry?

The look on my face in the film was irony.   I think about the loss of my brother everyday.

If you had told your parents about your brother’s first incident do you think history would have been different?

I don’t know! I try not to think about that.

Strong Island was screened by Black and Paper in the Panorama Section of the 67th Berlinale.

 

Categories
Cinema

Berlinale Winners

A lot of surprises this year from an unpredictable jury!

Golden Bear Award for On Body and Soul

Jury Prize Silver Bear for Felicite

Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize for Spoor

Silver Bear Best for Aki Kaurismaki

Silver Bear Actress for Kime Minhee

Silver Bear Best Actor for Georg Friedrich

Silver Bear for Best Screenplay for A Fantastic Woman

Silver Bear for  Outstanding Artistic Contribution for Ana, mon amour

Glashutte Original Documentary for Ghost Hunting

Panorama Audience Award for   Insyriated 

Panorama Best Audience Award Documentary for I Am Not Your Negro