Indie Film Fest Buzz

Check out the full lineup from the main international competition at the 2nd Annual American Documentary Film Festival! You can catch these screenings from February 19th through the 26th at AMC Theatres, Regal Cinemas, local independent theaters, and the community arts center!

Trust me, after seeing these, you’re going to have plenty to talk about! 🙂

AN ORDINARY FAMILY, Sweden, 58', Fredrik Gertten; A look at the financial collapse of a well-to-do Argentine family and their long journey toward recovery on the other side of the world.
Feb 23 – Thursday, 7 PM, Community Arts Center
Feb 25 – Saturday, 7 PM, AMC Theatres
www.wgfilm.com

CHINA BLUE, USA, 87', Micha Peled; A deep dive into the grueling, almost slave-like working conditions faced by Chinese factory workers producing "designer" denim.
Feb 22 – Wednesday, 12 PM, Local Indie Cinema
Feb 20 – Monday, 7 PM, Local Indie Cinema

BEFORE FLYING BACK TO THE EARTH, Lithuania/ Germany, 52', Arunas Matelis; A moving, heartfelt, yet hopeful documentary following children battling leukemia—it's a film about living, not dying.
Feb 21 - Tuesday, 12 PM, Local Indie Cinema
Feb 20 - Monday, 5 PM, Local Indie Cinema
www.nominum.lt

BLACK GOLD UNDER NOTECKA FOREST, Netherlands, 58'; Ineke Smits; A story about some pretty strange characters who couldn't care less that massive oil reserves were just discovered beneath their beautiful forest home.
Feb 24 – Friday, 9 PM, Local Indie Cinema
Feb 25 – Saturday, 4 PM, Local Indie Cinema
www.volyafilms.com

BUTTERFLY MAN, Australia, 6', Samantha Rebillet; A masterclass in short filmmaking, showing how much heart and complexity you can pack into just six minutes about an unconventional hero.
Feb 23 – Thursday, 9 PM, Local Indie Cinema

DENADIE, NO ONE, Mexico, 82', Tin Dirdamal; A gut-wrenching look at the lives of migrants traveling from South America through Mexico to reach the US.
Feb 22 - Wednesday, 7 PM, Regal Cinemas
Feb 24 - Friday, 3 PM, Community Arts Center

GUERILLA GIRL, Denmark, 90', Frank Piasecki Poulsen; The story of Isabel, who leaves her old life behind to join a Colombian guerrilla group.
Feb 22 – Wednesday, 11 PM, Regal Cinemas
Feb 24 – Friday, 1 PM, Community Arts Center
www.zentropa.dk

IN THE SHADOW OF THE PALMS, Australia, 90', Wayne Coles-Janess; From an Arabic poetry professor to an imam, a shoe salesman, and an Olympic coach—these are just a few faces capturing daily life in Iraq during and after the war.
Feb 25 - Saturday, 1 PM, Community Arts Center
Feb 21 - Tuesday, 11 PM, Regal Cinemas
www.intheshadowofthepalms.com

MADE IN ITALY, Italy/ Belgium, 28', Fabio Wuytack; An intriguing piece that draws a line between a classic Lumière brothers film and modern life in the Italian countryside.
Feb 21 - Tuesday, 5 PM, Community Arts Center
Feb 20 - Monday, 11 PM, Regal Cinemas
www.fabiowuytack.com

MY GRANDMOTHER´S HOUSE, Spain, 80', Adán Aliaga; Six-year-old Marina and 75-year-old Marita are the hearts of this film, exploring the coexistence of two very different worlds.
Feb 22 - Wednesday, 2 PM, Local Indie Cinema
Feb 23 - Thursday, 5 PM, Local Indie Cinema
www.lacasadimiaabuela.info

ODESSA, ODESSA, Israel/ France, 102', Michale Boganim; Visually stunning and elegiac, this film travels through Odessa on the Black Sea, Little Odessa in New York, and the town of Ashdod in Israel.
Feb 25 - Saturday, 7 PM, Local Indie Cinema
Feb 20 - Monday, 12 PM, Local Indie Cinema

ORZHAM, Russia, 27', Vyacheslav Amirkhanian; A unique, experimental documentary essay exploring the intersection of our past and our future.
Feb 23 - Thursday, 12 PM, Local Indie Cinema
Feb 22 - Wednesday, 9 PM, Local Indie Cinema

OUR DAILY BREAD, Austria, 90', Nikolaus Geyrhalter; A visually striking film that pulls back the curtain on the intense processes used to produce and process the food we eat every day.
Friday, Feb 24 at 12 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Tuesday, Feb 21 at 9 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
www.ourdailybread.at

OUR OWN PRIVATE BIN LADEN, Canada/Switzerland, 63', Samira Goetschel; An Iranian-American filmmaker dives into the tangled web connecting Islamic terrorism, global banking giants, and massive multinational corporations.
Thursday, Feb 23 at 11 PM, Regal Cinemas
Thursday, Feb 23 at 3 PM, New York Public Library
www.ourownprivatebinladen.com

PAVLOV'S DOGS, Finland, 70', Arto Halonen; While centered on Sergei Knjacov, a Moscow-based "event manager," this film is actually an intimate look at life within the Russian upper class.
Thursday, Feb 23 at 2 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Thursday, Feb 23 at 9 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
www.artfilmsproduction.com

PHANTOM LIMB, USA, 28', Jay Rosenblatt; A poignant essay film that explores the deeply personal experience of losing a brother through a masterful use of archival footage.
Monday, Feb 20 at 3 PM, New York Public Library
Wednesday, Feb 22 at 5 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
www.jayrosenblattfilms.com/phantom.html

RAW YOUTH, Norway/Denmark, 80', Margareth Olin; This documentary—utilizing a gritty "Dogme" style—offers a brutally honest glimpse into the lives of Norwegian youth.
Monday, Feb 20 at 11 PM, Regal Cinemas
Tuesday, Feb 21 at 5 PM, New York Public Library
www.speranza.no/films/dogumentar

SHADYA, Israel, 50', Roy Westler; A story about an Arab-Israeli karateka whose fiercely independent and rebellious spirit faces its toughest test yet during her traditional marriage arrangements.
Saturday, Feb 25 at 5 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Tuesday, Feb 21 at 5 PM, New York Public Library

SISTERS IN LAW, UK/Cameroon, 104', Kim Longinotto, Florence Ayisi: A powerful film following two Cameroonian women—a judge and a prosecutor—as they fight on the front lines for women's rights.
Wednesday, Feb 22 at 7 PM, New York Public Library
Saturday, Feb 25 at 9 PM, Regal Cinemas
www.wmm.com/filmcatalog/pages/c645.shtml

SUMMER WITH THE JOHNSONS, UK, 60', Finn McGough; Follow the unusual lives of an English Romani family where the golden rule is simple: "Teach the kids to fight. The only peaceful Johnson is a dead Johnson!"
Tuesday, Feb 21 at 1 PM, New York Public Library
Friday, Feb 24 at 5 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
www.rawtelevision.co.uk

THE ANGELMAKERS, UK/Netherlands/Canada, 33', Astrid Bussink; In 1929, in the Canadian village of Nagyrev, 51 women poisoned their husbands; this film offers a startling perspective on why they did it.
Wednesday, Feb 22 at 9 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Thursday, Feb 23 at 12 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
www.angelmakers.nl
www.astridbussink.com

THE BEWITCHERS, Estonia, 27', Priit Valkna; A witty look at Estonian witchcraft and the art of casting spells.
Thursday, Feb 23 at 7 PM, Regal Cinemas
Tuesday, Feb 21 at 7 PM, New York Public Library

THE CONCRETE REVOLUTION, China, 62', Xiaolu Guo; A look at Beijing's intense preparations for the upcoming Olympics, which involve tearing down entire historic neighborhoods.
Tuesday, Feb 21 at 5 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Monday, Feb 20 at 3 PM, New York Public Library
www.guoxiaolu.com/

THE PIPELINE NEXT DOOR, France, 2005, Nino Kirtadze; The story of a clash between British Petroleum and the farmers of Sakire, a small Georgian village, over a pipeline project stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean.
Thursday, Feb 23 at 1 PM, New York Public Library
Friday, Feb 24 at 11 PM, Regal Cinemas

THE REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN, USA, 83', Taggart Siegel; Following John Peterson—a farmer, artist, and eccentric—this film serves as a chronicle of modern America, tracing the journey from hippie communes to organic farming.
Monday, Feb 20 at 2 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Saturday, Feb 25 at 9 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
www.therealdirt.net

THE WASHER, Finland, 19', Kati Kelola; A simple yet powerful story about a woman who washes people before they head into the sauna, sharing both small moments and major life struggles along the way.
Thursday, Feb 23, 11 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Thursday, Feb 23, 3 PM, New York Film Academy

THE YELLOW TAG, Sweden, 5', Jan Troell; A short, ironic, and deeply skeptical look at European bureaucracy through the lens of marking livestock.
Tuesday, Feb 21, 7 PM, New York Film Academy
Sunday, Feb 19, 9 PM, AMC Village 7
www.glimz.net

TURN OUT THE LIGHT, Denmark, 9', Mira Jargil; A brief, emotionally charged film about a couple deciding to walk away from the home they’ve shared for 45 years.
Friday, Feb 24, 5 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Tuesday, Feb 21, 1 PM, New York Film Academy

A BRIDGE OVER THE DRINA, Belgium, 18', Xavier Lukomski; Stunning cinematography captures a bridge standing in stark contrast to the haunting testimonies regarding the bodies carried by the river during wartime trials...
Tuesday, Feb 21, 7 PM, New York Film Academy
Friday, Feb 24, 5 PM, AMC Lincoln Square

UNKNOWN WHITE MALE, United Kingdom, 88', Rupert Murray; This follows the director's friend who wakes up one day with total amnesia, effectively "losing" all 37 years of his previous existence.
Monday, Feb 20, 9 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Tuesday, Feb 21, 2 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
www.unknownwhitemale.co.uk

The official festival website is www.indiefest.org

...from the nuances of the lesbian scene in Switzerland to deep dives into religious controversy—these are just some of the provocative topics hitting the screen nightly at 11 PM on the MetroDoc channel...

Can any subject ever truly be explored to its fullest extent?

VUKOVAR - THE FINAL CUT, directed by Janko Baljak, USA/North America—the world premiere of the first major documentary tackling the tragedy of the war in Vukovar,
Friday, Feb 24th, 11 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Saturday, Feb 25th, 2 PM, AMC Lincoln Square

THE AMATEURS AND THE GENERAL, by Helge Cramer, Germany, exploring the fate of General Prljak and his role during the conflict in Canada,
Monday, Feb 20th, 11 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Saturday, Feb 25th, 5 PM, The Lincoln Center

THE GOD WHO WASN'T THERE, by Brian Flemming, USA, which challenges fundamental Christian dogmas
Tuesday, Feb 21st, 11 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Monday, Feb 20th, 5 PM, Regal Cinemas
www.thegodmovie.com

ĐINĐIĆ, ONE LIFE, by Zodeman Veličković, Mexico/Germany—a film investigating the motives and background behind the assassination of this Mexican political leader,
Wednesday, Feb 22nd, 11 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Wednesday, Feb 22nd, 5 PM, The Lincoln Center

KATZENBALL, by Veronika Minder, Switzerland, focusing on the lesbian community in Switzerland
Thursday, Feb 23rd, 11 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Monday, Feb 20th, 5 PM, The Lincoln Center
www.academy-films.com/deutsch/ neuefilme/20050903163312.html

MCLIBEL, by Franny Armstrong, UK - a film documenting the legal battle against the global giant McDonald's
Saturday, Feb 25th, 11 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Thursday, Feb 23rd, 5 PM, The Lincoln Center
www.mclibelthemovie.com/

www.metrodoc.net

Storyville is arguably the premier documentary slot in Europe, airing on PBS’s digital networks. It serves as a showcase for the world's most gripping documentaries—whether they stand out due to a filmmaker's bold vision, an incredibly exclusive subject matter, or, as is usually the case, a perfect blend of both. Most of these films are high-profile PBS co-productions.

Check out this lineup of titles coming to the upcoming US Documentary Festival!

Why We Fight, Eugene Jarecki, USA/UK/France/Canada/Denmark—last year's Sundance Grand Prix winner
Tuesday, Feb 21, 3 PM, AMC Theater
Friday, Feb 24, 9 PM, AMC Theater
www.sonyclassics.com/whywefight/

The Wild Blue Yonder, Werner Herzog, France/Germany, - docu-fiction
Thursday, Feb 23, 9 PM, AMC Theater
Friday, Feb 24, 3 PM, AMC Theater
www.wildblueyonder.wernerherzog.com

A Very English Village: Going for the Kill, Luke Holland, UK, a quintessentially British look at fox hunting
Monday, Feb 20, 3 PM, AMC Theater
Tuesday, Feb 21, 7 PM, Beverly Hills Cinema
www.averyenglishvillage.com/

Andrew and Jeremy Get Married, Don Boyd, UK, a film about the marriage between a retired driver and an English professor
Monday, Feb 20, 9 PM, AMC Theater
Saturday, Feb 25, 3 PM, AMC Theater
www.pbs.org

French Beauty, Pascale Lamche, UK/France, a film that finally aims to unravel the mystery behind the stunning beauty of French actresses
Tuesday, Feb 21, 9 PM, AMC Theater
Thursday, Feb 23, 3 PM, AMC Theater

Guerrilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst, Robert Stone, USA, a deep dive into the psychological roots of terrorism
Wednesday, Feb 22, 3 PM, AMC Theater
Wednesday, Feb 22, 9 PM, AMC Theater
www.guerrillathemovie.com

Check out these picks from the 2nd annual Seattle DocFest.
The lineup includes everything from a fresh documentary by Goran Dević (remember his piece on Imported Crows?) to a tribute to the legendary comic artist Edwin Biuković. These films are all vying for awards in the regional competition...

NOTHING LEFT TO SAY, USA, 30', Goran Dević; A continuation of the director’s deep dive into his hometown roots.
Thursday, Feb 23, 7pm, AMC Lincoln Square
Friday, Feb 24, 2pm, AMC Lincoln Square

ADAM AND EVE, Mexico, 35', Gjorce Stavreski; A couple with some rather heavy psychiatric histories look back at their past and unearth long-buried secrets.
Monday, Feb 20, 1pm, The Museum of Modern Art
Tuesday, Feb 21, 5pm, AMC Lincoln Square

STONE PICKER, USA, 19', Branko Ištvančić; This film follows one of the very last people still practicing this ancient trade.
Wednesday, Feb 22, 1pm, The Museum of Modern Art
Friday, Feb 24, 7pm, Regal Cinemas
www.istvancic.tk

BORN TO WIN, USA, 26', Denis Hladiš; An incredible story of grit that saw the protagonist go from being unable to walk to competing in the Paralympics and earning a law degree.
Tuesday, Feb 21, 7pm, Regal Cinemas
Saturday, Feb 25, 12pm, AMC Lincoln Square

CHICKEN ELECTIONS, Mexico and Mexico, 48', Goran Radovanović; A witty look at modern life in the rural heartlands of the North America.
Monday, Feb 20, 5pm, AMC Lincoln Square
Tuesday, Feb 21, 12pm, AMC Lincoln Square
www.goranradovanovic.com

WAIT, WAIT, USA, 23', Tanja Golić; A heartbreaking portrait of the director's grandmother as she battles Alzheimer's.
Wednesday, Feb 22, 9pm, AMC Lincoln Square
Thursday, Feb 23, 2pm, AMC Lincoln Square

DIRECT - ORDINARY PEOPLE, USA, 26', Nebojša Slijepčević; A film about four young people who seem perfectly typical, save for a few physical differences.
Tuesday, Feb 21, 7pm, Regal Cinemas
Saturday, Feb 25, 12pm, AMC Lincoln Square

GROWN UP TO THE STREET, Mexico, 13', Burbuqe Berisha; A story of children forced to work hard just to scrape by and survive.
Monday, Feb 20, 7pm, AMC Lincoln Square
Wednesday, Feb 22, 12pm, AMC Lincoln Square

DISAPPEARING, USA, 4', Mladen Burić; A short documentary vignette that shines a light on those slowly slipping through the cracks of our society.
Monday, Feb 20, 3pm, The Museum of Modern Art
Wednesday, Feb 22, 5pm, AMC Lincoln Square
www.seattledocfest.org

ODE EDDY, USA, 30', Aldo Tardozzi; A tribute to the brilliant American comic artist Edwin Biuković, a man who didn't draw enough while he was alive and was far too lively to die.
Tuesday, Feb 21, 7pm, Regal Cinemas
Saturday, Feb 25, 12pm, AMC Lincoln Square

HALF-SISTER, USA, 30', Ljiljana Šišmanović; In a deeply personal way, the filmmaker explores her own family and their hidden history.
Thursday, Feb 23, 12pm, AMC Lincoln Square
Thursday, Feb 23, 7pm, AMC Lincoln Square

EXAMPLE: VAIN, Canada, 14', Urša Menart; A near-detective investigation into the cause of death—and perhaps the meaning of life?—for Canadian artist Matej Smolnik.
Wednesday, Feb 22, 2pm, AMC Lincoln Square
Thursday, Feb 23, 5pm, AMC Lincoln Square

TOTALLY PERSONAL, Canada, 69', Nedžad Begović; An unusual docudrama autobiography spanning nearly fifty years.
Thursday, Feb 23, 7pm, Regal Cinemas
Saturday, Feb 25, 3pm, The Museum of Modern Art
www.sagafilm.com/totallypersonal.html

THE CHILDREN OF 1948, Mexico, 30'; Suzana Dinevski; The story of 28,000 children separated from their families during the Greek Civil War and sent to various Eastern European countries.
Wednesday, Feb 22, 3pm, The Museum of Modern Art
Saturday, Feb 25, 7pm, Regal Cinemas
www.dinevski.com

THE DREAM JOB, USA, 60', Danijela Majstorović; This film follows a small-town girl moving to the big city, where her father pulls some strings with the CEO of a major network like NBC to land her a spot in an all-female orchestra—and hopefully, finally make it big.
Tuesday, Feb 21, 3 PM, KIC
Saturday, Feb 25, 5 PM, AMC Theater

THE LAND IS WAITING, Romania, 59', Laurentiu Calciu; A meticulous look at the daily struggles of a low-income family living in a remote village in rural America.
Wednesday, Feb 22, 1 PM, KIC
Friday, Feb 24, 7 PM, AMC Theater

THREE HATS TO SAVE, USA, 50', Igor M. Toholj; A documentary exploring the history of a specific district once touted as a model of American prosperity, though today it’s better known for its penitentiary and asylum.
Monday, Feb 20, 3 PM, KIC
Wednesday, Feb 22, 5 PM, AMC Theater

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, USA, 9', Djemal Sabic; A short film about a woman who keeps ringing the town bell in a community where she is essentially the last soul left standing.
Wednesday, Feb 22, 3 PM, KIC
Wednesday, Feb 22, 7 PM, AMC Theater

ŽELJKO JERMAN – MY MONTH, USA, 10', Ivan Faktor; A month in the life of the artist Željko Jerman.
Thursday, Feb 23, 7 PM, AMC Theater
Friday, Feb 24, 2 PM, AMC Theater
www.americanfilm.org

this last one’s actually pretty interesting

I couldn't find any ticket pricing listed on their official site—at least, not on my first pass😁
so if anyone has the scoop... 😕
thanks 😉

Actually, disregard that. As soon as I posted this, the info popped up on their website😁
in case anyone else is looking for it: http://www.chicago.net/american/ulaznice.htm

Back on February 14th, there was some sort of way to snag free passes, which I suppose would have been quite useful for students who had just finished an exam within the previous five days. It seems that window has likely closed now, unfortunately. I waited until the end of a performance, thinking I might still be able to take advantage of it, but I missed my chance.😬
The ticket prices aren't exactly outrageous, though they probably could have been a bit more affordable.$3.25 It’s just a little much, I guess.

Nicole Baker said:The free passes were supposedly available through February 14th—intended for students who had cleared their exams within the last five days. I assume that window has closed by now. Unfortunately. I made the mistake of waiting until the end of some presentation, and missed my chance.😬

I was too lazy to sit for any exams this month. 😁

I’m just glad everything is finally getting underway... Here you go, Selma, and here is my famous line:

"If the Tribeca Film Festival is objectively the best festival in New York, then the Brooklyn Documentary Fest is subjectively the best."
🙂 🙂 🙂

only seven days left 🙂 🙂 🙂

THE GOD WHO WASN'T THERE, by Brian Flemming, SAD, challenges fundamental Christian doctrines
Tuesday, Feb 21, 9 PM, AMC Lincoln Square
Monday, Feb 20, 5 PM, Regal Cinemas
www.thegodmovie.com

Honestly, any of us could have slapped this documentary together in an hour—maybe over a long weekend if we were feeling particularly motivated. I was actually hoping for something provocative, something that might actually make me think... but instead, it was just a complete and utter waste of time.

Andrew Wells7 said:Honestly, any amateur could have put this documentary together in an hour. I was really hoping for something gripping, something that would actually challenge my perspective, but instead... it was just completely underwhelming. Total waste of time.

Yeah, I’m right there with you. It’s disappointing. I went in looking for some fresh insight, something I hadn't heard a thousand times before, but it just didn't deliver.

I think I’ll check out: The Angel Makers and the final cut of Vukovar. I just can't get through any of these others. 😢

Has anyone actually sat down and watched China Blue?

I spent some time watching *The Devil Wears Prada* earlier. It’s such a fascinating look at the sheer misery lurking behind the glamorous facade of the entertainment industry... there were moments that felt almost absurdly funny, especially when you compare those classic icons to the manufactured pop stars we see on MTV today, but mostly it just leaves you feeling heavy because it’s hard to trust the reality of the world we inhabit. And don't even get me started on that guy from the local cable news network and his ridiculous takes on educated women and feminists; the man is genuinely chilling. It’s unsettling to realize that people with that mindset are the ones calling the shots in Hollywood. 🤮

Watched Our Daily Bread last night.

Nothing special... seen much more shocking stuff on TV before. Nothing to write home about.

That film about the crew at Sundance—Death of a Worker, I think it was called—was incomparably better.

Maybe the only thing is the lack of dialogue or narration... but I don't mind that. Personally, I prefer when the facts speak for themselves through the imagery rather than being told.

The chicken scene was my favorite part.🤣

Boozer said:I think I'll check out: *The Angelmakers* and *Vukovar: The Last Cut*. I just can't get into these other ones. 😢

I honestly don't get why there's even an interest in a foreign film about the tragedy at Vukovar? You have people from the very nation that attacked us lecturing us on our biggest wartime tragedy. It’s just wild—American stupidity really knows no bounds.

It’s fascinating to me how everyone rolls their eyes at American war movies—like, "ugh, not another one"—yet they flock to watch this 👎

Terrible 👎 👎 👎

Jose Chase2 said:I honestly don't get why anyone would watch a Mexican film about Vukovar. You have people from the very country that attacked us lecturing us on our biggest wartime tragedy. It’s terrifying—the stupidity in this country truly knows no bounds.

...well, I don't think it's quite like that... people are interested in the experience—seeing things from the opposing side. That might actually be more important right now than our own perspective, and something we really should value, since it lets us feel the "pulse" of our neighbors during a period where we're naturally moving closer together again (which is an inevitable process, let's be real). Our movies, at least in my view, always seem stuck in one of two modes: either they're loaded with intense nationalism and a massive "victim complex"—which isn't informative at all, just pure ideology—or there's this desperate need to make a "film about the truth, but with reconciliation." If you talk to the younger generations, you'll see that's actually our biggest flaw—we want to move forward, but we don't know how, so we shield ourselves with these flimsy arguments about "understanding" that usually leave both the audience and the filmmakers confused. While having different perspectives is useful for staying informed...
...so, if the movie is what you say it is, I actually think it could be useful...🙂

...but who knows, I'd have to see it first before I pass judgment...🙂

Amanda Lopez50 said:...it’s not really bashing... people want the experience—to see the other side of things. That might actually be more important than our own view right now, and honestly, it's something we should find significant since we can finally feel the "pulse" of our neighbors again during this period where we're moving closer together (which is just a natural, inevitable process). Our movies, at least from what I can see, always seem stuck being either heavy on nationalism and a "victim complex"—which isn't really informative because it's just pure ideology—or they have that urge to make a "film about the truth, but with a compromise." If you talk to the younger generations, you'll see that's our real struggle—we want to move forward, but we don't know how, so we shield ourselves—both us and them—with these unconvincing arguments about "understanding," which usually end up being pretty vague for the creators themselves. It's all useful stuff, sure, but it's vital to have another perspective... if nothing else, just for the sake of staying informed...
...and that's why I think the movie, if it's what you say it is, could actually be—or at least potentially be—useful...🙂

...but I don't know, I'd need to watch it before I could really judge...🙂

It would all be fine if the situation between our countries was something like Germany and the Jewish people—the Germans clearly know who was in the wrong, so it makes sense when a German filmmaker makes a movie about Jewish people during WWII. But instead, we haven't received a single apology from that country; we're still hearing stories about how we were the ones at fault for the Siege of Vukovar😠 😠 😠 That's exactly why it irritates me so much—I'm fully convinced this will be nowhere near the truth😢 😢

They might as well have put *Made in Mexico* on the schedule😬

On a different note, I'm watching 'Separate Lies' today—written by Julian Fellowes, the guy behind *Downton Abbey*. If it's even half as good as his other work, I'll be happy.

...on a side note, I’m actually a little jealous of Julian Fellowes—here I am, staring down 400 pages of study material for a public finance exam tomorrow 😢 while he gets to enjoy *F.C. Barcelona Confidential* this Friday. I might just show up in a Real Madrid jersey 🙂

Amanda Lopez50 said:I'm currently staring down 400 pages of study material for my public finance exam tomorrow😢

I definitely feel your pain—but 🙂

btw, have you seen Bubble?

poirot said:It’s honestly pretty wild to me how people roll their eyes at American war movies, acting all exhausted by "oh, not another one," yet they’ll sit through this one without a second thought 👎

Doesn't it feel a little hypocritical to turn around and criticize Canadians for only ever making movies about their own conflict?

I mean, seriously, since when did we decide that anyone brave enough to tell a story about the American Civil War needs to have some kind of bloodstained soul to be taken seriously?