Perspectives: Week 1 - Tackling Theme
Article courtesy of povmagazine.com
This week’s Perspectives series with Aisha Jamal, presented by the DOC Institute with the generous support from presenting sponsor Vistek and made possible with the support of OntarioCreates, focuses on translating theme. Jamal joins filmmakers Yung Chang, Ngardy Conteh George, and Baljit Sangra to learn how they capture the thematic characters of their documentaries through artistic, narrative, and technical choices. To help prepare attendees for this week’s workshop, we’ve rounded up some highlights and films from the panelist’s careers that will be part of the discussion.
The Films of Ngardy Conteh George
Finally, participants in the Perspectives series can learn how to adapt their themes through an evolving situation with Ngardy Conteh George’s 2019 doc Mr. Jane and Finch. The film, which won the Donald Britain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program, follows community advocate Winston LaRose as he throws his hat in the ring for the 2018 Toronto municipal election. This portrait of the neighborhood figure asks how one can translate activism into civic engagement. However, the profile of LaRose intersects with the controversial moment in which Ontario premier Doug Ford threw a grenade into the election and reduced the number of seats on Toronto City Council by half, therefore making LaRose’s feat twice as challenging. The doc provides a fascinating example of what happens when the story changes, as the spunky character study ultimately becomes a portrait of the fight for fair local representation.
Before tackling representation and gerrymandering in Mr. Jane and Finch, George had a breakthrough moment by asking the question, “Do you believe a one-legged man can fly?” This query fueled George’s award-winning pitch with director Allan Tong, which topped Telefilm Canada’s Pitch This! at TIFF 2011. Their question forms the heart of the 2014 doc The Flying Stars. The film looks at amputees’, survivors of violence in Sierra Leone’s civil war, who defy the odds as soccer stars. Using the energetic and uplifting trope of a sports documentary, The Flying Stars expands its scope to consider a legacy of violence and the human spirit that endures. Read more about The Flying Stars in co-director Allan Tong’s filmmaker diary about the production.