Posts from — June 2008

In 2004, author Norma Khouri was accused of perpetrating a literary hoax of immense proportions. Khouri’s 2003 book Forbidden Love told the story of an honor killing in Jordan and helped raise public awareness about the horrific practice. From her home in Australia, Khouri became the face of a movement to move the UN and others to condemn honor killings and to urge countries to put an end to the practice. As it turned out that Khouri was not who and what she originally seemed, doubts and explanations multiplied into a fog of suspicion and confusion. Was this a case of literary license, cynical exploitation, or something else entirely?

Anna Broinowski’s terrific film, Forbidden Lie$, looks at Khouri’s story, and attempts to untangle the many threads–fact, fiction, con, hoax, art–that surround Khouri, her book, and her detractors. Khouri is a strong presence in the film, and her interactions with the filmmaker raise new questions, spin new stories and result in a trip to Jordan where Khouri attempts to prove her veracity.

Khouri is mesmerizing, but is it the passion of an activist or the seduction of a con artist that draws us in? A running poll on the film’s website shows that opinions continue to differ. Wander into the tangled web and make up your own mind!

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As always, the disclaimer applies: This is a festival to which I have a substantial connection. I have volunteered for the past two years and sat on this year’s Selection Committee. I wrote for the festival catalog and will likely be introducing some of the filmmakers and subjects at the festival. Feel free to adjust for my bias. My blog reportage and opinions, however, do not represent the views of AFI or the SILVERDOCS festival, the Selection Committee, or of any of their staff. No one should construe anything expressed on this site as being endorsed or supported by AFI, SILVERDOCS or anybody other than me.

This whole week, I’ll be blogging from the SILVERDOCS Film Festival and Conference. Keep checking back for my favorite films, event reports, photos, and more.

Please note my general disclaimer: This is a festival to which I have a substantial connection. I sat on this year’s Selection Committee and have an active volunteer role at the festival. However, my blog reportage and opinions, are mine alone, and do not represent the views of AFI or the SILVERDOCS festival, the Selection Committee, or of any of the staff. No one should construe anything expressed on this site as being endorsed or supported by AFI, SILVERDOCS or anybody other than me.

Yep. And even if you aren’t a 12 year old boy–which is to say that you are not inclined to see a film just because someone will be doing brain surgery using the same kind of cordless power drill you have in the garage–there are plenty of other reasons to make sure you see The English Surgeon.

Filmmaker Geoffrey Smith follows British neurosurgeon Henry Marsh as he travels to Ukraine to work with his friend and colleague Igor Kurilets. The state of medicine in Ukraine is, like much of the country’s infrastructure, severely deficient. Marsh brings expertise and equipment to assist Kurilets in serving patients, many of whom have had inadequate or no treatment.

The soulful Dr. Marsh brings a gravity all his own to the film. His own demons never far from his elbow, Marsh works to exhaustion, often seeing patients whose lives could have been saved if only they were able to receive treatment earlier. While the stories of patients are gripping, it is the relationships Marsh forms with Kurilets, his patients, and the patients’ families that will stay with you. An excellent soundtrack by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis is just a sweet, sweet bonus.

Screening twice at SILVERDOCS, both the director and Dr. Marsh will be available for Q&A after the shows. Though I have seen the film twice, I look forward to hearing the two men talk about the film.

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As always, the disclaimer applies: This is a festival to which I have a substantial connection. I have volunteered for the past two years and sat on this year’s Selection Committee. I wrote for the festival catalog and will likely be introducing some of the filmmakers and subjects at the festival. Feel free to adjust for my bias. My blog reportage and opinions, however, do not represent the views of AFI or the SILVERDOCS festival, the Selection Committee, or of any of their staff. No one should construe anything expressed on this site as being endorsed or supported by AFI, SILVERDOCS or anybody other than me.

In my interview with Sky Sitney, she remarked that SILVERDOCS “tries to expand the experience beyond just on-screen.” To that end, there are a number of special events, talks, and social events scheduled during the 8-day festival.

Music plays a special role at SILVERDOCS, as the festival has an award track geared specifically for films about music. So, several of the films have musicians performing in conjunction with a screening. Top on my list is banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck, who will be performing with Cheick Hamala Diabaté on Tuesday following the showing of “Throw Down Your Heart,” a film that explores the African origin of the banjo.

In addition, I will be excited to see Jason Crigler, the musician who is the subject of the film “Life. Support. Music.” He will perform Saturday night, following a showing of the film, which documents his struggle to survive following a massive cerebral hemorrhage in 2004.

Many of the films are followed by panel discussions or Q&A sessions with the filmmaker and film subjects. Particularly notable: NPR correspondent Tom Gjelten moderates a panel that includes, inter alia, director Michael Christoffersen and former Supreme Commander Allied Powers Europe of NATO General Wesley Clark, following a showing of “Milosevic on Trial” on Tuesday.

As we noted earlier, SILVERDOCS aspires to be an open and intimate festival, so remember that the panels aren’t the only place to meet and interact with mediamakers and other industry folks. Among those who will be in Silver Spring next week are legendary filmmaker Spike Lee, Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney; NPR’s Neal Conan; Dr. James Orbinski, the Past President of Médecins Sans Frontières; and Sundance award-winning cinematographer and director Ellen Kuras.

And finally, if I can’t stand being inside for one more minute, there are two outside events that should be a lot of fun. Both take place towards the end of the week. Friday night will feature an outdoor screening of a 1964 film by Direct Cinema maestros David and Albert Maysles. “What’s Happening! The Beatles in the U.S.A.” manages to capture an intimate portrait of the Beatles just before they blew up to international mega-stardom.

Then on Saturday comes an exhibition soccer match by the U.S. Homeless World Cup Team following the afternoon screening of the film “Kicking It,” which tells the story of six teams at the 2006 Homeless World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa.

Whew. I’d better rest up.

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As always, the disclaimer applies: This is a festival to which I have a substantial connection. I have volunteered for the past two years and sat on this year’s Selection Committee. I wrote for the festival catalog and will likely be introducing some of the filmmakers and subjects at the festival. Feel free to adjust for my bias. My blog reportage and opinions, however, do not represent the views of AFI or the SILVERDOCS festival, the Selection Committee, or of any of their staff. No one should construe anything expressed on this site as being endorsed or supported by AFI, SILVERDOCS or anybody other than me.

When Sky Sitney talks about movies, she nearly hums with a mixture of sharp intellect and infectious passion. As the Director of Programming, Sky oversees the grueling process of selecting the 65 feature films and 35 shorts that will be shown at the SILVERDOCS AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival. Though this is her crush time as the festival approaches, Sky recently agreed to sit down for a brief interview to share her thoughts on this year’s festival. As always, the disclaimer¹ applies.

SILVERDOCS is an international festival focused solely on the “creative, cinematic exploration of non-fiction film.” Concentrated in this 8-day event are opportunities to see a highly diverse slate of films that “extend and push the parameters on a craft level—asking the question ‘What is documentary film, how is it defined, how are we pushing the definition?’”

Excellence and innovation

Sky starts with the basic premise that the filmmaking itself should be exceptional. While some films may have such remarkable stories that they transcend weak technique, the cinematic qualities of film speak first to the viewer, long before the story can unfold. “Being part of AFI brings a legacy of excellence in the arts. First and foremost, we are a film festival, so we ask ‘how is the quality of the film itself?’ We celebrate the art form.”

Over the course of the conversation, Sky mentioned several times that SILVERDOCS is interested not only in the established forms of documentary, but also those filmmakers who “experiment with stylistic choices, forms and techniques more common to the narrative arena. One developing trend that Sky has seen has been a “resurgence of dramatization.” Dramatization has historically seen as suspect (“Almost a bad word,” Sky noted), as less legitimate than the more direct forms of reportage-style shooting, archival footage, interview and other traditional techniques.

But many of the new filmmakers seem more willing to use re-enactment for a variety of purposes, according to Sky. Animation, for example, is being used to denote fantasy life, re-enact a historical event, or reflect interior states. Sky noted how filmmakers who were using re-enactment seemed to be making an effort to clearly demarcate the re-enactment footage—pushing color, form, and techniques to differentiate it from non-fiction footage.

As diverse as SILVERDOCS films are in style, they are equally diverse in terms of origin. “Of the 65 features, and the 35 shorts, 64 countries are being represented,” Sky said. As the SILVERDOCS programming seeks to explore “the ways in which documentary film can ask questions about what is going on in the world,” Sky is committed to presenting a variety of perspectives from different parts of the globe.

Themes

Despite the diversity of styles and perspectives, it seems that every year there are a few unexpected themes that emerge, something that Sky described as “almost a collective unconscious.” Lately, Sky has seen a resurgence of personal stories about life challenges and, in particular, illness narratives. While stories of illness and mortality have “been around since pen and paper and death,” Sky thinks the democratization of the camera may play a key role in the increasing number of these films. As digital video cameras become more affordable and portable, more people can “use the camera as a way to negotiate their own journey towards something that’s difficult.”

One theme that is a constant presence in documentary film is advocacy. Whether advocating for social change, presenting under-represented viewpoints, or preserving vanishing culture, many filmmakers view SILVERDOCS as an opportunity to get their film before a politically active audience. As Sky noted, “here in the DC region, you expect some more policy-focused, political films, advocacy films, in part because filmmakers perceive that these audiences can be changemakers or influentials.”

Sky continued, “I am always truly struck—and proud—during the Q & As by the quality of the questions and discussions. I am sure it is both satisfying and challenging to the filmmakers, since with some of these topics—particularly where political—they may be speaking to real experts on those issues.”

While many themes may recur, Sky is quick to note that there is no theme per se. “People often ask ‘What’s the theme?’ But isn’t documentary enough of a boundary? I don’t want to assert too much of my personal vision or tastes, but I want to be a receptor to a wide variety of the films that are out there. You have to have a standard, a curatorial opinion, but be willing to expand your own personal taste and recognize strong films, even if they aren’t to your own personal preference.”

Striking the balance

Sky noted that it isn’t enough just to be open to great films, but that one must consciously and strategically work to provide a good balance of films. Off the top of her head, Sky began rattling off a list, “You want to avoid redundancies, and seek to include a nice mix of countries and topics. There are so many elements to consider—where else has the film been shown, is this emerging work, is it premiere status, is the work fresh? Is it a film that has broken out at other festivals (Sundance or Berlin), such that festival-goers might expect to see it? Also, how do you treat alumni, whose works may have developed along with the festival? What about master filmmakers? Emerging new work or new artists?”

She continued, “And there are questions of purpose. As a festival are we here to create an opportunity for a new wonderful work to get recognized? Or, might one argue, that as a festival, you can really help a film that has already been on a roll and may do something good for that film.”

It’s about community

Sky works to achieve an attractive balance to serve what she sees as an exceptional opportunity. “There is something incredibly stimulating… inspiring… rejuvenating about the communal experience that one can get at a festival. It is an extremely rare opportunity to see a lot of films that you may not have another opportunity to see, and then to get to talk to the filmmakers and to meet the subjects that inspired them. To engage in a really intimate way with other media-makers and people in the industry. It is a gem of an opportunity.” The reach of SILVERDOCS is far beyond just the DC audience. “We have people coming from all over, due to the international focus—plus industry professionals, distributors, and the media, among others.”

It makes for a lively mix. “The intimacy here is notable—very accessible, democratic. There is very little distraction. The venues are all within walking distance, everyone is invited to the same parties and events. It allows real relationships to form and to connect filmmakers with industry and production colleagues. It is not unusual to see collaborations developing from friendships started at SILVERDOCS.”

At the end of the day, it seems to me that Sky is really speaking to her soulmates. “I am passionate about going to the movies. I just love going to the movies. After an incredibly long day of screening films in my apartment recently, I felt that I really needed a break. So I went to see a movie.”

Footnotes

1. This is a festival to which I have a substantial connection. I have volunteered for the past two years and sat on this year’s Selection Committee. I wrote for the festival catalog and will likely be introducing some of the filmmakers and subjects at the festival. Feel free to adjust for my bias. My blog reportage and opinions, however, do not represent the views of AFI or the SILVERDOCS festival, the Selection Committee, or of any of their staff. No one should construe anything expressed on this site as being endorsed or supported by AFI, SILVERDOCS or anybody other than me.