Sunday, October 27, 2024

Artifact War (2024) Austin Film Festival


Jump to see ARTIFACT WAR. This under the radar gem is one you’ll want to see repeatedly.

The film is the story of a group archaeologists and academics who, even before the war in Syria, took steps to chart the antiquities and museum artifacts in case anything happened. Once the war started and the factions inside the country either sought to steal the work or destroy it, they took steps to either rescue the material or provide a trail so that if anything ended up in the markets it could be identified as plundered.

A collection of talking heads, archival footage and recreations (because somethings were too dangerous to go shoot) this film pulls us in and drags us along. It tells a story that probably none of us have heard before, but which, thanks to films like the Indian Jones films we have more than a passing interest in.

I loved this film a great deal. I did not expect to get sucked into. I never looked at my watch, I just watched and waited for the next twist or turn.

What a delight.

And know that my saying that isn’t lessening the story being told, but rather it is a way of saying that because the story of trying to protect our heritage is told so compellingly people might be more willing to do something to help prevent this from happening again or at least be aware when something appears in museum or somewhere else to realize that it might have been looted.

Recommended.

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