Filmmakers Grace Winter and Luc Plantier’s fascinating documentary celebrates the work of a nearly-forgotten pioneer of visual anthropology. Between 1913 and 1937, Belgian nobleman Robert Frédéric, Marquis of Wavrin (1888-1971), traveled through the wilds of Paraguay, Ecuador, Brazil, and Venezuela, visiting remote areas and filming indigenous peoples never before seen by Europeans—such as the Shuar tribe, whose tsantza ritual of shrinking the heads of defeated enemies was shown in one of the feature films constructed from his footage that caused a sensation back home between 1924-37. Not that the marquis had gone to South America out of idealistic or scholarly motives: he was fleeing a prison sentence for shooting two boys (seriously wounding one) he found pilfering nuts from his estate, and he spent his early days abroad hunting rather than exploring. But once he embraced the idea of documenting the lives and customs of remote tribes, Frédéric proved indefatigable, building a genuine rapport with people considered to be dangerous savages by outsiders. Forced to remain in Belgium after World War II, Frédéric gradually faded from view, and his copious footage was deposited at the Cinémathėque Royale de Belgique, where Winter discovered and carefully restored it. Combining an intriguing tale with a priceless record of tribes that no longer exist, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
The Marquis of Wavrin: From the Manor to the Jungle
(2017) 85 min. In French w/English subtitles. DVD: $398. Icarus Films. PPR. Volume 34, Issue 5
The Marquis of Wavrin: From the Manor to the Jungle
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