I have watched the award winning documentary 'sleep furiously' by Gideon Koppel and I am still wondering why would you reward such a soporific movie! I can only see one reason: the whole jury fell asleep during the screening and had no clue what it was all about!
I am probably being cynical but I dont think a movie could bear its title as perfectly as 'Sleep furiously' I mean I did sleep furiously during and after the movie!
Just to tell you a few words about the movie, it is about a small farming community in Wales and that is pretty much it.
Nevertheless, I can acknowledge, to some extent, the poetic dimension of this movie that does not have any linear narrative, the images speak for themselves and the camera becomes like a microscope. However why would you make it 2 hours long when 15min would suffice.
I then realized by reading the pressbook that the director worked most of his life in advertising therefore I could understand why this movie is so untouched and simple in its structure. Probably reflecting a desire to break away from superficial advertisement. But then, he argued that he wanted this movie, to be an homage to this village in Wales where his parents found a refugee during the second world war but this does not even come across the mind of the viewer who just wonders for the whole movie why is this documentary so random in terms of structure.
It really leaves you with the feeling of having lost their camera in this village which happened to be switched on and then when they finally got the camera back thought that this footage should not be wasted so let's put it all together and call it documentary!
Later on in the pressbook, the filmmaker himself explained that at some point, he was lost during the shooting and called a friend telling him that he had no clue what was his documentary all about anymore. This element makes me think that he might have fallen asleep while editing and woke up quite furious and Bam .... the documentary was born!
this bitter and probably scandalous review I just wrote might shock any documentary film-makers but this is not my purpose and I will explain myself on that point in a minute.
But for now, I want to address to all future documentary film-makers.
Dear Future documentary film-makers,
As viewers we praise you to stop making us fall asleep with your documentaries
we know you have probably been brainwashed by your tutors or the boring and uptight elite but it is time to break free!!!
so my beloved soporific directors, 2 key advices for your future projects!!
- First and foremost: no more than one hour! Really, I insist, nobody has the time to watch 2 hours-documentaries, life is already depressing, I can guarantee you that nobody ever comes back home after an exhausting day at work, thinking "Omg Honey, Tonight it's documentary time!"...No , and if it is the case, it is just because you are dealing with a future divorced depressed individual!
-Rule number 2:
a Documentary that does not teach you anything is not a documentary but a postcard and again, who would stare at a postcard for 2 hours???I hope you get my point now!
I know you probably think I am missing out on the key concept of your documentaries but as a viewer I just speak the truth and for your own good,
I truly believe that we can sort this out together just bear in mind my key advices!
I am not an anti documentary activist, far from it, I am convinced documentaries are the greatest means to develop world citizenry!
So for future considerations, if you are hesitating between making a movie about a postman who did not have a mailbox or a pony who was convinced all his life to be a sheep, well please, do me a favor just post your video on youtube, but do not dare calling your work a documentary!!!
Bottom line: Documentaries rock as long as they make you think :-)
Looking forward to watching your documentaries,
Sincerely,
Mrs Caci
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