The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams’ Appalachia (2002, Director: Jennifer Baichwal): In 2002, Jennifer Baichwal directed this fabulous film about Shelby Lee Adams’ controversial photos of the poor people in the Appalachian Mountains.
Adams was born in Kentucky and has spent 30 years documenting and photographing the poor families in the various hollers of Appalachia. He’s become very good friends with some of these families and has completely gained their trust.
Most of us would look at Adams’ photos and describe the people in them as hillbillies or “banjo people”, straight out of the film Deliverance. Is he trying to exploit them or is he merely documenting their way of life?
The subjects in Adams’ photos feel that his work is harmless and a true representation of their culture. As a viewer, you get the sense that Adams truly feels he is documenting the Appalachian way of life. Several art critics featured in the film feel otherwise. Adams stages some of his photos and uses theatrical lighting to great effect. His work is incredibly beautiful, complex, and more fine art than documentary photography.
He’s exhibited his photos around the world, sold prints and published many books about the Appalachian people. He’s become very successful and made a good living by being a photographer. Baichwal doesn’t make any judgements in the film. But at a Q&A afterward, she questioned how people at a Berlin gallery of Adams’ work would read his photographs while sipping champagne and eating smoked salmon. They’re probably going to see the stereotype instead of the friendly people that Adams has gotten to know over the years.
I haven’t mentioned the slaughter of a hog, the practice of snake handling, pipe smoking grannies, inbreeding and the high mortality rate up in the Appalachian hills. For that, you’ll have to watch the film and it’s a good one.
(9/10)
Tagged as:
#hotdocs08,
appalachia,
photography
Behind the Glass (2008, Director: Gabriel Rhodes): I wasn’t aware that this was screening with Daddy Tran: A Life in 3-D (review) but I’m glad it did. Director Gabriel Rhodes created a fantastic little film about a dying breed — the film projectionist.
Rhodes took 7 years to complete this 22 minute documentary. He interviews an interesting bunch of film projectionists who simply love celluloid. James Bond from Chicago stands out in the film because his name really is James Bond and he’s the best in the industry. In the Q&A after the film, Rhodes mentioned that James Bond has worked with George Lucas in the past.
Gabriel Rhodes does an excellent job of introducing several projectionists from around the US with interesting and unique stories to tell. Their jobs are changing as more theatres introduce digital projection. This film captures the end of an era that will be of interest to any cinephile.
Behind the Glass was shot on 16mm film.
(8/10)
Tagged as:
#hotdocs08,
cinema,
film,
projectionist
Daddy Tran: A Life in 3-D (2008, Director: Sia Tu): At first glance, this appears to be a film about an artist who has a passion for 3-D photography. Unfortunately this film is more about Hai “Daddy” Tran’s lifelong obsession with photography and its impact on his family.
Tran is an interesting subject for a film. He’s charismatic, passionate about photography and he runs a vintage camera store in an industry that is dominated by digital cameras. He loves to collect things and not just a few — thousands of cameras and lenses, jewelry, lights, lawn ornaments. Every door inside his house has multiple locks. It takes four keys just to get inside his house!
I found Hai Tran to be more a lovable eccentric than a true artist or photographer. I was hoping this film would be a little more along the lines of What Remains (2005) or Manufactured Landscapes (2006). Tran appears to be more of a holiday snapper than a photographer. I guess this is why the film focuses more on his obsessions and character rather than his photography.
Daddy Tran: A Life in 3-D is an average documentary film for me. The production values could have been stronger and I found that the same photos were being used repeatedly in different parts of the film.
I might have enjoyed the film a little more if:
- the projectionist didn’t stop the film 3 minutes in because it was being shown in the wrong aspect ratio
- the film didn’t stop 10 minutes later because it was missing the subtitles
- director Siu Ta brought the correct version of the film and checked it before the screening
Siu Ta wanted to cancel the screening and reschedule it for a later date! Thankfully an audience member persuaded her to just show the film. She used a microphone and translated parts of the film while it played.
Watching this film was probably the most unique experience I’ve had at Hot Docs. What made all of these glitches ironic was that it screened with Behind the Glass (review) — a film about projectionists and their importance in the presentation of a film.
(6/10)
Tagged as:
#hotdocs08,
family,
photography
