Here are just a few reviews that I have written.
Letters from Baghdad – documentary
Letters From Baghdad Review
Amanda Carnac reviews Letters From Baghdad; an evocative documentary about Gertrude Bell – the woman that history forgot.
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Apr 19, 2017
Many Western names are associated with the history of the Middle East but few will have heard of the British explorer, diplomat and spy Gertrude Bell. Thankfully filmmakers Zeva Oelbaum and Sabine Krayenbuhl have chosen to bring her story to light using the letters she wrote throughout her life, narrated by Tilda Swindon, and previously unseen film footage salvaged from the Iraqi Museum.
The documentary does justice to a woman who defiantly disagreed with the British government in relation to their treatment of Iraqis under colonial rule. It is hard to be brief when listing her achievements but ultimately Bell played an important hand in history when she was given the incendiary task of creating Iraq from the area formerly known as Mesopotamia. The film is startlingly pertinent considering the current state of Iraq and Syria today as there has been speculation that the borders of these countries may need to be redrawn.
Letters From Baghdad gives an honest, intimate insight into her character and to its credit is unafraid to explore different aspects of her personality. For instance, one female friend remarks that she was friendly towards her but probably only because she had a university degree and was highly educated. Her contemporaries paint a picture of a woman who was highly intelligent but after the loss of a loved one became hardened and busied herself with her work to cope.
However Bell’s aloof sentiments towards people in personal relationships did not carry over into her strong feelings of fairness towards the Arabs under British rule. She wanted their voices heard and passionately defended their wishes. Bell insisted that the British should honour their promise to let King Faisal rule in return for their help in bringing down the Ottoman Empire and advocated self-determination, believing that the British were ‘being too hard’ on the people of Baghdad. Eventually this was agreed to and she helped advise King Faisal until her death remarking, ‘I’ll never engage in creating Kings again; it’s too great a strain.’
Despite being the female equivalent of Lawrence of Arabia, her story was at risk of being forgotten, even part of the museum dedicated to her was severely damaged from the American invasion in 2003. The fascinating archival footage shown throughout the film which was obtained from the Iraqi Library was also damaged. In light of the current conflict there, it is staggering watching people from different communities and religions walking alongside each other peacefully one hundred years ago.
The filmmakers have spoken of how she was written out of history due to her gender and how they wanted to bring to light how incredibly open-minded she was. Letters From Baghdad provides provocative footage such as the mists on the River Tigris alongside Bell’s account of how she felt when looking at the river, and pays an honest, thoughtful tribute to the woman who not only carved new boundaries on the map but also redrew the boundaries of what women were considered to be capable of.
Uncertain Review
Amanda Carnac reviews this Ewan McNicol and Anna Sandilands documentary
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Mar 9, 2017
With a name like Uncertain, it was only a matter of time before the sleepy town caught the attention of film makers Ewan McNicol and Anna Sandilands who decided to make a documentary that delves into the secrets of its residents. The remote town, with a population of just 93, is located near the edge of Texas and sits upon Caddo Lake. The lake borders the state of Louisiana and has often been used as a means for criminals to travel between states undetected. The sheriff sets the tone for the film at the beginning by stating, “if you’re running from anywhere, Uncertain is a good place to hide, as it’s unlikely you’ll ever be found.”
Ironically the lake, which is the life support of the town, is also facing an uncertain future due to a weed called Salvinia which is damaging the ecosystem. But the narrative focuses primarily on three troubled men who are cocooned away in their own reality leading solitary, secluded lives. Zach is a 21 year old alcoholic and diabetic whose mother was taken into psychiatric care. In between jokes he spends his time drinking and lamenting the lack of women in the area but doesn’t have the willpower to leave.
Then there’s Wayne, a former convict and recovering addict who has developed a full blown obsession with a giant hog he is desperate to kill. He spends his nights dressed head to toe in camouflage gear armed with an array of guns in the hope of killing “lucky Mr Ed.” His ego hinges on the need to prove that the hog’s superior survival skills are no match for his hunting skills, and he seems to unravel when the hog continually eludes his bullets, and resorts to even blaming UFOs for the hogs uncanny ability to disappear.
The critical state of the lake is of particular concern to 78 year old Henry, a fisherman who depends on the lake for his livelihood. He lives a lonely existence sailing up and down the desolate river, his mind preoccupied with the past. Henry lost his daughter in a car accident and faced threats in his younger days when he chose to send his children to school to be educated “just like white people.” This led to accusations that he was an “Uncle Tom” which resulted in him shooting a man in self-defence.
Gradually, it unravels that each man has suffered and has a painful story to tell. All three men have an honest candour and open up in a way that has a transformative effect on the way you feel about them. At first, Wayne’s obsession with taking away the life of an animal just seems downright odd and his character isn’t particularly relatable. Then we witness him standing at the grave of a young man he killed in a car accident and breaking down with his self-analysis, “I have to believe I have some good in me to carry on.” This is a story of men trying to come to terms with painful memories in any way they can, as well as a powerful message about the danger of being stuck in the past.
The film is beautifully shot with bleak, eerie views of the overgrown lake that sprawls off into the empty Texas plains. The directors subtly convey the message that the men are creating their own self-made barriers to moving on. Wayne praises the warthog’s innate survival instinct which contrasts sharply with Zach’s self-inflicted damage to his own health as he lies on a hospital bed unable to curb his dependence on alcohol.
The filmmakers have succeeded in capturing a sense of bleakness that is very powerful and have carefully interwoven all three stories that are essentially about survival. Although the film has a bitter, melancholy feel to it, the narrative reaches a satisfying conclusion and all three men show how powerful hope can be.
Amanda Rivett-Carnac 