Camden Film Festival Class

2nd blog Ive made for school

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Walking Under Water

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Wild Home

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Rich Hill

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Bugarach

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Tomorrow we Disappear

This film was an example of some cultures dissapearing due to wide-spread modernization of cultures and the large extent that buildings are developed. These people fought hard to stay where they lived, and even though they were unsuccessful, they made very many good points and were able to talk to higher-ups. Their home was in very bad shape but they had the space they needed for all the arts that were a part of them. The movie concluded with a young girl, daughter of the man that film was centered on the most. She was more accepting of the change. She at least understood that change was going to happen and, talking to the camera, criticized the adults for not being forward thinkers.

In this film in particular, the presence of the documenters was at times strong. I felt that the people being filmed were very effected by being filmed and acted differently. Probably a combination of being filmed and the stress of losing their homes. I think the film makers intervened with some of the politics also.

This was a well-done film capturing a powerful and relevant story.

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The Search for General Tso

The Search for General Tso was extremely well done. It was definitely one of the most entertaining ones. I got to learn of some history of the chinese, history of them migrating to the U.S., leading into culinary history. I really did gain a handful of knowledge about our culture.

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Desert Haze

A lot of this movie was shooting the desert. We also got to see a contrast of culture between native americans and white people, in todays world. There was a lot of good cinematography. But it was around two hours long and was kind of abstract, so I had a hard time paying attention.

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Point and Shoot

This film was incredible to see. Even though some of the things that he did were questionable, he definitely took charge of his life. And in doing so saw and experienced so much. It really shows that people are capable of doing anything and the biggest thing standing in their way is themselves.

The film itself came out really good and I felt captured the story well.

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Waiting for August

I loved all the films, out of all of them, this and one other I had the hardest time sitting through. They both happened to be 2 hours long. This film is a family of seven children living on there own while their mother works abroad. It is focused on a 15 year old girl who is raising and looking after the other six children. This is a common happening in Romania. The film maker did an incredible job filming real-life experiences.

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The Iron Ministry

First film we saw at the festival.

This was the recording of Chinas railway system. I believe the film maker spent more than a couple years filming this. It was mostly wordless. There was no plot, it was just raw footage. It does a great job of showing people acting normal (in this situation). The train is incredibly crowded.

Someone was explaining about how the train systems used to be much much worse, with fights being very common.

There are talks of politics and country of origin.

Some young people talk about how marriage and money seems to work for people not in a high class. And that conversation turns into talks of a democracy in China. They discuss the morals of abandoning your country. One kid says something hypothetical like "this country is no good so I'm leaving." I thought it was interesting how his friend corrects him, saying what he should say is "I am sorry but this country isn't going to improve and so I am going to leave." Then the same friend expresses his belief that democracy is a joke and just a distraction. This is all very relevant right now because of the protests happening in Hong kong, and relevant to what I'm learning in school now.

Two ladies discuss about how the only way they can support their children is to work entire days in a factory. One or both of them had to leave village life because it couldn't support them financially.

I counted at the film maker talked in the film only three times I think. Once he talked one on one with a girl who was on the train to go live with a boyfriend and work in a factory. She was very joyful and very hopeful that she was going to be happier than before.

I herd that people didn't like this film at all, but I think that was because they kept expecting there to be a plot.

I thought the film was very interesting.

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Expedition to the End of the World

The first thing we watched as a class was on campus was this film called Expedition tot he End of the World. At this meeting I got to see other people on my trip from another class. The film was also being shown for people going to New York for the climate march. The idea of the film is that there are a group of people with different professions, on a really sweet ship built for the film, going to see the glaciers. I guess the idea was to see them and make a film of it, before they melt. At the end of the film we were asked what the film was about and everyone scratched their head. For me it was an awesome experience of seeing documentary film making, and seeing interesting people interact and goof off (they were from Denmark and this made it especially interesting). It was also mainly philosophical.

I felt extremely impacted by the film and can't wait to watch it again, as well as other films this person has done.

A theme for documentary film making, that was noticeable in this and continued to be throughout the course, was trying to capture people on film as truthfully as possible.

I think part of the reason I loved watching this so much was because it was in a theatre with many class mates. This became even more epic at the festival, because it was on a much larger scale.

I've always loved documentaries but now I have a newfound joy for them through this festival; first time screenings and with lots of people in a theatre.

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10 films 3 days

My schedule: the 10 films I saw at (CIFF) Camden International Film Festival, for my Unity College documentary film festival class:

Friday:

10am to 12pm Points North Doc Film Forum at the Camden Opera House, There was some film for this.

12 to 130pm THE IRON MINISTRY

4 to 530pm WAITING FOR AUGUST

9 to 11pm POINT AND SHOOT

Saturday:

12 to 2pm DESERT HAZE

4 to 530pm THE SEARCH FOR GENERAL TSAO

630 to 745pm TOMORROW WE DISSAPEAR

9 to 1130pm BUGARACH

Sunday:

1030am to 12pm RICH HILL

1 to 245pm WILD HOME

3 to 4:30pm WALKING UNDER WATER