filmin' it up

After i handed in an assignment literally 4 minutes before it was due on monday night, i decided that for the rest of the week, i would find a way to treat myself. and i think i have, even tho i can't seem to get other excited about it...so since tuesday, i've been enjoying the 12th annual south african internation documentary film festival (encounters.co.za). yes, call me a geek or dork or lame (i can take it), but i tend to enjoy docu's. they are not only entertaining at times, but they teach you a lot about different things and different perspectives. so, i've seen one every night since tuesday (i saw 2 on tuesday night actually) and im planning on continuing this trend until sunday. nevermind that i don't have the money or the time for this kind of venture, i'm treating myself to a well deserved interim break! here are some thoughts on some of the films i've seen so far:

Here Be Dragons
this docu is about a white civil rights attorney, George Bizos; an icon in the struggle against apartheid. George is greek by birth and has represented countless ANC-ers as well as those crucial struggle icons, including the family of steve bantu biko (at the TRC), winnie mandela (multiple times), nelson mandela and others at the rivonia trials, and plenty others who fought for freedom and justice, of all different races. His story is truly inspirational and emotional and he does little to hide his emotions during the film and in his work. His decision to pull out of the truth and reconciliation commission (as the appointed counsel opposing amnesty grants for perpetuators of the previous regime) truly highlights the issues i hear every now and then about the shortcomings of the TRC. he recalls that he was simply sick to his stomach watching people conjure up excuses, blamiing indefensible dead people, and faking half-assed apologies and getting off scot-free from crimes they'd committed. Is this justice?

One of the other bright spots in the film was archbishop desmond tutu (among other dignitaries filmed celebrating birthdays with George). tutu was his usual bright, jovial, and child-like self when describing the truly transformational and inspiration figure of George. he says, watching him during th erivonia trials, you felt like you could give him an oscar for his performance.

On a slightly negative note, the film was a bit confusing at times and could've used a narrator. It also had superfluous information and clips were shown that didn't seem to fit the film. however, the film ended beautifully taping george as he was recognised for his latest book. in his speech, george says (not verbatim):
...people often thank me for the work that i've done over the years, but it is i who need to thank south africa for allowing me to understand that we are not intrinsically different peoples depending on our race, but that we are all part of one race - the human race. Thank you, south africa for allowing me to reach my fulfillment.

Forgotten Gold
This one is about Mulamba Ndaye. Have you heard of him?? No, you probably haven't. And its a shame. Mulamba is from DRC (Zaire) and holds the record for most goals scored (ever) at the African Nations Cup (9) in 1974, when Zaire went on to win the tourney. Till this day that record has not been broken. A few years later, he got caught up in some politics and had to flee the country. He's been living since in exile in south africa, mostly as a car guard (the guy that stands next to your car when you're eating dinner and "watches" it in hopes of a R5 tip at the end of the night). The story was very inspirational and at the end i got to meet and shake hands with the old man himself.

However, the film, i don't think, was very well made. It was also a bit confusing as it kept moving from past to present with little cohesion. and the storyline was lost on me several times. overall tho, the film must be praised, like the others, for highlighting human lives and experiences that we should know about, but don't.

Thembi
this is one about a vocal south african girl who died of aids in 2009. she is one of a very few south africans who was bold enough to talk openly about her HIV status and try to de-mystify it(actually one of the pioneers). great story, but in the end, she dies as a result of her not continuing with her medication. the film doesnt really go too much into this, but i suspect she was overwhelmed with the sudden "stardom" and also the constant realisation that she would have to take these mountains of drugs for the rest of her life.

the bad part: brilliant film, but again the point of it was lost on me. yes, people should be able to talk more openly about these issues and not risks being teased or ostracised or beaten, but i dont think that goes far enough. i kept asking myself, so what? thembi went all over south africa and to the US in her campaign, but what exactly was she campaigning for. I'm still not sure. was it for the use of condoms? or for abstinence? or for women's rights to be empowered to ask their man to use a condom? the film doesnt really help in this regard. and then she died. whats her legacy and why was her campaign important. what lives on? the audience is left with too many questions.

The gardner and his 21 flowers
this film is about a zambian man who essentially runs an orphanage from his small home/farm. only thing is that the orphans are the children of his dead relatives (mostly sisters) from AIDS. William, the gardner, barely has anything, only his garden where he grows fruits and vegies and tries to keep out monkeys who often come to destroy his crops. from this (and the small rats the children catch) he must feed feed the 21 and hope to have some left over so he can sell to the locals and buy some meat every once in a while, or pay for schooling, or school clothes, etc. the family is obviously poor and receives no grants or assistance from the government but the film shows a family clearly rich in love for each other. my question: what is the role of government if it is not to provide for those like william and his family, who cannot provide for themselves. in the course of the film we witness some deaths in the family, due to curable illness like malaria and severe malnutrition in most of the children (from the protruding bellies). one girls says she sometimes wishes she was dead, so that she wouldnt be so hungry. my guess is that its not only sometimes.

this story is not unique to william, but rampant all over the world, particularly in africa. first instinct is to be sad, next is to be angry at government's inaction and corrupt ways, but i think finally we realise that the idea here is to do what we can with what we have. "to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded."