Here are two short reviews on two films about being a migrant from central and South America. Both of the films are excellent and deserving of longer reviews but I really need to see both away from DOC NYC where their similarity to other films playing at the fest unfairly work against them
AT THE BORDER|
This is a film set at the border of Colombia and Venezuela. We follow the lives of two smugglers as they make daily trips back and forth between the countries smuggling goods and people.
This is a great observational documentary about what it takes to survive. What sets the film apart from other similar films is that the focus of the film goes wider than just being a simple migrant tale of people going to a new place. It presents a different story and gives us complex people to travel with
Highly recommended especially away from the festival crush.
THE CARAVAN
Portrait of a family making the trip to America in the migrat caravans that have been demonized by the far right conservatives in America. While the film is similar to numerous other films on migrants coming to America, it scores many points by painting a larger picture of the movement. We get a real sense of what the caravans are all about and why they are necessary. More importantly the film feels free of directorial intervention you find in other films where moments of drama are played up to keep our attention. Here we are simply introduced to some nice people and allowed to travel with them. Simple is better.
One of the best films of migrating to America I’ve run across.
No comments:
Post a Comment