Blackboard

The Photograph

2009-06-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

[Note: This film is not featured on Bluescreen and is not a designated educational title. However, it is apart of the 2009 Global Lens series and provides valuable insight into aspects of Indonesian culture. To read more about the film go to Global Film Initiative]

By Claire Lester,
Student Contributor

Nan Triveni Achnas’ fourth feature film The Photograph (2007) is set against a shady backdrop of semi-industrial Indonesia. Here we are introduced to Sita, a beautiful young woman who is constantly struggling to support her daughter Yani and her ailing grandmother who live in a nearby town. Having been away from them for two years, she makes a living as a singer and prostitute in a local brothel, but is frequently harassed by her pimp.

The essence of the film is found in the unlikely relationship that develops between the misguided Sita and Mr. Johan, an elderly portrait photographer. Having persuaded him to rent her a room, she begins to work for him around the house and help him in his search for an apprentice, as he only has several months left to live. Having lost his wife and son, he believes he is incapable of doing any good in his life. A grieving man, Mr. Johan is desperate to find his successor.

At first, Sita isn’t honest with herself. She lives in a world of empty promises and false hope. Absorbed by vanity, she takes a considerable amount of time preparing for her pictures, practicing poses, etc. She is concealing her true self. Mr. Johan, however, is a man ridden with secrets and guilt, hiding away from the people around him. He is preventing himself from wholly living and embracing his life. The lively Sita is his escape, his confidante; and in turn, Mr. Johan inspires her to be more accepting of herself and consequently more carefree.

With rich lingering shots, sometimes almost static, Nan Achnas’ film feels much like a photograph itself at points. These shots provide ample time for you to really reflect and mull over the lives of these characters, just as you would when looking at a photograph. Additionally as the film is largely character-driven, it allows you to easily empathize with these people and ask yourself how you would act if you were in their situation – what would you do if you were given only several months to live, or weren’t able to support your family?

Halfway through the film, there is an interview montage as Mr. Johan begins his search for his new apprentice. The inherent comedic relief of this scene separates it from the rest of the film which has a much more somber feel to it. The darker shots of the film seem to parallel, or at least echo, Mr. Johan’s illness; whereas this sequence illustrates a gentler and more approachable side to the characters’ daily lives.

Another remarkable aspect of the film is how it touches on the varying relationships people have with the past – how some cling onto it through something like a photograph; while there are others who are so consumed in wanting to move forward with their lives that they deny their own past. The Photograph depicts people discovering their own truths, and to a certain extent, encourages its audience to see themselves the way the characters learn to do – to see themselves objectively and truthfully.

Typically a documentary filmmaker, Nan Achnas brings a particular expository quality to The Photograph. This is not to say that the film delivers itself like a documentary, but simply that there is a certain documentary quality to be found within the film. It heavily invests itself in exploring Mr. Johan and Sita’s blossoming relationship, encouraging an observational approach from the viewer. Curiosity is what drives this film. Ultimately, it is this facet that helps the film convey its message. It reveals how even very different people can support one another and leave a lasting impression on each other’s lives, lessening their emotional burdens.

Daughter of Keltoum

2009-02-19T10:46:00.000-08:00

By Alison Arnold,
Student Contributor

After watching Daughter of Keltoum a film by Mehdi Charef, I was left with many lingering and powerful images. A few parts of the film stood out particularly strongly for me. The first was Rallia’s transition from an outsider and foreigner to a member of the community - a western young woman returning for the first time to her birthplace in the mountainous desert region of Algeria. We see this journey through Rallia's eyes, the eyes of her family and of the people living in this area of the Atlas mountains. Rallia's initial hesitation, tentativeness, and fear are eventually replaced by love, compassion, and a deep sense of belonging to her new environment.

The second was Rallia’s search for herself, represented by the search for her mother. Her confusion and discovery regarding her mother reflect aspects of her search for her own identity. Another strong element in the film was Rallia’s relationship with her “aunt”, Nedjima. This complex friendship constantly morphs from love to hate, with an unwavering display of pride and affection on the part of Nedjima, much like that of a mother and daughter.

After watching such an intricate and detailed movie there are a couple of questions that I would pose to filmmaker Mehdi Charef: What role did you want the intimidating mountains and harsh environment to play in the story? Why does Rallia’s grandfather not feel resentment toward her after what Keltoum did? I was also intrigued by the way of life in the Atlas Mountains and was curious about the number of people who live in this region. Is the film an accurate depiction of their lifestyles?

Even with these questions left unanswered, Daughter of Keltoum was a beautifully made, evocative film that addressed many important issues, and gave unique insight from the perspectives of people from two different worlds growing to understand each other.

See here for more information on Daughter of Keltoum and the visit the Bluescreen page to see the films in this year's Education Program.

Let the Wind Blow

2008-11-19T14:51:00.000-08:00

By Thientam Nguyen, Student Contributor

I have yet to see a film that presents war in such a relatable way as Partho Sen-Gupta’s Let The Wind Blow. It is sometimes hard for me to empathize with war-life, what with the Iraq war seeming so far away. Yes, the step and sways of the political tango in the Middle East has been rabidly followed by the ever present media, and there is no denying we are paying for the cost with both our wallets and precious lives, but life generally has been business as usual. There is no rationing, no immense posters propagating the monstrosity of the “enemy”, no ducking into bomb shelters in the middle of the night to the cries of sirens.

What makes this film successful is the focus on individual perspective rather than national events. The characters are devastatingly human, their troubles and desires are universally relatable. There is the ever-present tower of globalization, casting a shadow of obscurity rendering them insignificant. They are no longer masters of their own fate, just a speck in a statistical mass. Add to this melee of daily struggles the threat of nuclear attack.

From the start, I found myself drawn into the war-tense world of Arjun and Chabia, both struggling to make their own destinies. In our consumerist world, less developed countries become nothing more than a target audience for marketing. It is heartbreaking, how all of the characters’ attempts to change their futures seem so feeble and become lost among the struggle of thousands of others. There is a sense of urgency: in the belief that there are no second chances, in carpe diem, in the death of karma, in hopeless lethargy and drinking that passes away Arjun’s nights. There is a realism to the film that resounds from the screen into real life. Chabia’s dreams and schemes for obtaining a better life and Arjun’s budding relationship with fellow classmate and drama club member Salma are innately familiar. Who hasn’t wished for an easy-going and worry-free life? Who hasn’t been caught in the throes of adolescent love? And when Arjun and Chabia finally have a means of escaping their poor situation, we can’t help but celebrate with them the end of a lousy stage of their lives.

But fate throws a cruel twist, just as Chabia and Arjun seem to have found a handhold over the tower, just when they are about to hoist themselves off of their barren lives into the new world of possibilities…

I was struck by the simplicity of the film. There is no forced drama, no complicated plot twists. The purpose wasn’t so much to spread a message as to spread awareness. For an hour and a half, I was absorbed into the lives on the screen. I was presented with such an intimate access to their personalities, to their characters, to their very existence, that upon the rolling of the credits, I couldn’t help feeling a bit disoriented. How can two lives captured on film be so different from my own, but essentially the same?

The Fish Fall In Love

2008-11-12T14:11:00.001-08:00

By Thientam Nguyen, Student Contributor

Ali Raffi’s first feature film The Fish Fall in Love, is as much a tribute to Iranian culture as it is to human emotion. Atieh puts her heart into cooking and running her restaurant. Amidst the hustle of kitchen and the chatter of the busy women, we are given a glimpse of the local cuisine as well as the preparation of it, from the marketplace to the plate.

I was really struck by the dynamics of the characters. Touka’s pain at being separated from her lover Reza mirrors Atieh’s suffering at the disappearance of Aziz twenty something years ago. The process of recovery is slow but sure, and the reconnecting of Aziz and Atieh’s bonds are a celebratory moment in the film.

But despite the deceptively cheerful moments, there is always underlying drama. In fact, the backbone of the plot consists of miscommunication between Aziz and Atieh, and the resulting misunderstandings. I really felt for Aziz, constantly villainized by the women, blind to his well intentions. If only everyone would just sit down together and explain everything!

The Kite

2008-10-08T17:20:00.000-07:00

By Thientam Nguyen, Student Contributor

Randa Chahal Sabag (director)’s The Kite dips and soars through the classic tale of forbidden lovers, smoothly blending the downs of a loveless arranged marriage with the rise of love at first sight. Like the titular kite, the plot floats deftly from the light-hearted banter of the women planning the wedding, to the philosophical musings of the old tower guard, to the star-crossed lovers’ wistful loneliness.

In our modern times, where arranged marriages seem like merely shadows of the past, this film lends a more corporeal perspective. Here we can see Lamia’s helplessness in her situation – unable to call off the wedding that she was deemed destined to – and the resentment that builds from a forced coupling. One particularly striking scene is the wedding, a traditional Lebanese affair. We witness the zaffeh (the act of escorting the bride to her husband), meant to be a joyous moment, contrasted with Lamia’s misery.

The themes of freedom and escape are reminiscent of Guillermo del Toro’s dreamlike Pan’s Labyrinth, but the film still manages to address love in the same tragic, funny, lilting, and beautiful tone as Richard Curtis’ Love Actually. The resulting combination is a realistic fairytale, determinedly free of hate, where love triumphantly liberates the soul.

Name that tune: Opera Jawa

2008-03-01T15:13:00.000-08:00

Think hard, have fun and write a caption for this clip from the film Opera Jawa by director Garin Nugroho (featured on Bluescreen and in Global Lens 2008, sponsored by The Global Film Initiative):

Hint: the film takes place in Indonesia, the man on the right is the "bad guy" and the 'Marlboro Man' is playing a lyre, not a ukulele.

Gandhi at the Bat: The Mahatma Meets the Yankees

2008-02-02T14:01:00.000-08:00

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the venerable "Father" of India, and leader of the Indian Independence movement, apparently had a secret life as a New York Yankee. Or so says the short film, Gandhi at the Bat:

In 1933, Mohandas K. Gandhi made a top-secret trip to the United States. For reasons of national security, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt requested that all records of the visit be expunged from the public record... However, baseball historians have long swapped stories about the mysterious appearance of a pint-sized pinch-hitter who batted for the New York Yankees... (more)

- from Gandhi at the Bat

Is it true? Well, the newsreel- footage certainly looks real, as do the Yankees. But according to Mental Slapstick (the company that produced the film), Gandhi at the Bat is actually a "mockumentary" based on humorist Chet Williamson's New Yorker essay by the same name.

Too bad, as "Gandhi" apparently knocks the leather off the ball, not to mention there's something exciting about watching India's favorite hero playing America's favorite pasttime (a bit like eating peanut butter with chocolate).

If you want to see a real newsreel of the real Gandhi, watch this clip of his last meeting with Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the "father" of Pakistan, just before the partitioning of India.

Do the Hustle

2008-02-02T12:23:00.001-08:00

Watch this video of inmates at Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Cebu, Philippines:

John Travolta and Mark Wahlberg have nothing on these guys. However, who exactly are these guys, and why are they doing The Hustle in a detention center (otherwise known as "prison")? Here's the answer:

The dancing is compulsory for all 1,600 inmates at the prison in the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Centre, except the elderly and infirm.

"Using music, you can involve the body and the mind. The inmates have to count, memorise steps and follow the music," Mr [Byron] Garcia told the BBC news website.

"Inmates say to me: 'You have put my mind off revenge, foolishness, or thinking how to escape from jail, or joining a gang'," he said. (more)

In other words, the dance routine is part of the prison's rehabilitation program, and according to security consultant, Byron Garcia (the man who developed the program), it's not just about 'doing The Hustle.' The prisoners also break it down to Michael Jackson, the Black Eyed Peas and even Gregorian chants...

Strange? It depends on who you ask. In Mexico City, Mexico,women inmates are allowed to keep their children with them in prison, and in Lithuania, prison officials sponsored a beauty pageant for inmates in which the winner was crowned "Miss Captivity." In comparison, disco-dancing seems relatively benign.

What is interesting, though, is that these videos are some of the most watched on the Internet, and also the most popular media exports to ever originate from the Philippines; the second most popular media export from the Philippines, coincidentally, is a low-budget, independent film called The Bet Collector (Kubrador), which happens to be distributed by The Global Film Initiative (the sponsor of Bluescreen and this blog):

Ladies First

2008-01-08T13:24:00.000-08:00

As the 2008 U.S. presidential race gathers steam, here's something to consider:

Hillary Clinton may in fact become the first female president of the United States, but she won’t be the first woman in the world to hold the office of elected president. Isabel Peron, President of Argentina, claims that title and is followed by a handful of other women, including Corazon Aquino—former President of the Philippines and Asia’s first female president.

The world’s largest democracy, India, elected Indira Gandhi to the office of prime minister in 1966. Twenty-two years later, one of the world’s most socially conservative democracies, Pakistan, elected Benazir Bhutto to the office of prime minister in 1988. Both nations elected a woman to office at least twenty years before the world’s most powerful democracy—the United States.

Lastly, of the forty+ governments to elect a woman as its prime minister , president or head-of-state in the last two hundred years, only 25% are ‘developed’ or ‘first world’ nations (i.e. the United Kingdom, France, etc.). The rest are ‘developing’ or ‘third world’ nations, (such as the ones listed above), and ironically, are considered to be less socially progressive than first world nations, such as the United States.

It's something to think about as you watch this clip of Corazon Aquino’s 1986 presidential inauguration:

Good lord: Let the Wind Blow

2007-12-14T16:21:00.000-08:00

Think hard, have fun and write a caption for this clip from the film Let the Wind Blow by director Partho Sen-Gupta (featured on Bluescreen and in Global Lens 2008, sponsored by The Global Film Initiative):

Hint: the film takes place in Mumbai, India, the teenager's name is "Arjun" and the 'man in blue' is carrying a trident, not a fork.