Austrian filmmaker Nikolaus Geyrhalter's unusual documentary consists of a dozen 20-minute segments filmed monthly during the year 2000 in remote areas of the world: Niger, Finland, Namibia, Indonesia, Greenland, Australia, India, Siberia, China, Sardinia, British Columbia, and Micronesia. Although some footage shows residents engaged in day-to-day occupations—ranging from reindeer hunting in Finland and fishing in Sardinia to building tree houses in Indonesia—most of the running time is given over to long, static shots of ordinary people speaking directly to the camera about their lives. The emphasis here is on the inevitable tension between traditional modes of existence and modern encroachment, but points are made dispassionately, without resorting to polemic. It's fascinating to hear aboriginal mothers discussing their children's future, a Siberian rancher bemoaning the impact of oil exploration, a tribal hunter in Greenland complaining that Brigitte Bardot's animal-rights campaign endangers his livelihood by misleadingly spotlighting the killing of baby seals, or a Micronesian girl observing that the Red Cross Christmas air drop contains mostly trash. Offering a remarkable opportunity to glimpse worlds far different from those most of us inhabit, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Elsewhere
(2001) 2 discs. 240 min. DVD: $29.98. Icarus Films Home Video (avail. from most distributors). Volume 26, Issue 3
Elsewhere
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: