Documentaries : The 93rd Academy Awards (2020 Nominees)
As we get down to the nitty gritty on the Oscar preperation, I find myself down to the Best Documentary Feature, Best International Feature, Best Animated Feature and Best Song categories for watching (and listening respectively), as well as a few Best Picture nominees and a Best Visual Effects nominee. After seeing that Collective had gained placement on Hulu over the weekend, it felt fitting to address the Best Documentary Feature category and get that checked off of the list.
Collective (Hulu, dir. Alexander Nanau)
The deadly fire that ravaged the Collectiv nightclub on October 30 of 2015 was already a tragedy, claiming the lives of 26 people at the Bucharest location immediately. What was even sadder was what the wake of this fire exposed… a vast number of patients were taken to locations were they immediately gained infections via bacteria and contamination, only to be transferred and distributed amongst doctors in Bucharest who were not fit to treat burn victims or infection victims. Perhaps out of fear, incompetence, shame or some combination of the three, many victims were denied transfer to facilities that could suit them, and in the end, an additional 38 people died, bringing the ultimate toll to 64. Rather than implement interview footage, fancy infographics and recreated vignettes, Alexander Nanau approaches the tragedy with the utmost respect, allowing the victims, families of the victims and those representing them in various capacities be the focus of the story while letting their actions speak louder than any words directly addressed to a camera. We watch an investigation unfold in the hopes that it can open the door towards moving forward in the grieving process, not to mention eliminating the elements that led to the tragedy at hand, and much like a jury, we are left to make up our own minds where we stand in the matter. Perhaps it is this hands off approach that makes it so strong and immersive, sometimes to the point that one forgets they are simply viewing a documentary and instead feeling as if we are in the eye of a very personal and painful storm.
Crip Camp (Netflix, dr. James Lebrecht, Nicole Newnham)
The 1960s were a time focused heavily on breaking down social norms that thrived on exclusion, but usually, recollections of the era tend to focus on the struggles of minorities and women. Those who live with disability tend to lead a life of struggle as well, as many aspects of society are not geared towards accessibility and usability for all. Crip Camp not only shines a light on efforts during the 1960s that helped shift society at large away from practices of institutionalization and isolation for those with disability, but it serves as another realm of the nostalgia-filled spectrum for the time of hippies, free-love and revolution. Through archival footage, the story of the campers and counselors of Camp Jened is presented through their voices and actions, and the education (and personal validation) gained from the experience lead to further involvement in political and cultural moments that forced the Federal Government to make sweeping changes legislatively and infrastructurally. If nothing else, the involvement of President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama (as Executive Producers) helps to validate the messages of humanitarianism and understanding espoused in the documentary, not to mention it may help this documentary garner an Oscar.
The Mole Agent (Hulu, dir. Maite Alberdi)
Of all the films in the Best Documentary Feature category, The Mole Agent is the film that does the most in terms of blurring the line between documentary and narrative feature. If not for the occasional peek behind the camera (or the breaking of the fourth wall), one could easily misinterpret this film as a mockumentary or a staged documentary. There is also a built-in expectation that the film will go into the exploitation and mistreatment of patients in a nursing home, but really, what we get are very candid confessions and observations from those who occupy the homes... we get their opinions on their current living situations, the times changing around them, reminisces on loved ones and much more. Sergio is perfect as the center of the documentary, with his laid back and easy-going demeanor offsetting the spy-like nature of his mission, and his inquisitive and kind tendencies ingratiating him with the women of the nursing home. The espionage aspects of the film present wonderful opportunities for comedy, as do the very hardline defined stances, opinions and outlooks of the women.
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix, dir. James Reed, Pippa Ehrlich)
For the most part, human understanding and the vast spectrum of animal understanding have existed on opposite ends of a spectrum, with observations and learned behavior on both sides that has arisen out of past interactions. It’s very easy to just except the one or two base tenants we learn in our youth as a comprehensive breakdown of animalistic behavior, but My Octopus Teacher calmly and respectfully shows just how expressive, understanding and didactic that these animals can be when in their own environment and not influenced by human interaction. In the case of Craig Foster and the team behind My Octopus Teacher, we are presented with the richness of these interactions in a manner that resembles the connection that grows between a pet and an owner, but amazingly, it seems as if both Foster and the octopus that the documentary focuses on have no interest in a power or ownership dynamic. Watching trust grow between two forms that share little to nothing in terms of genetic makeup is captivating, and with Foster providing so much insight about his half of the experience, it really makes you wonder what it would be like if the octopus were able to voice her side of the experience. While the film chiefly centers around a man trying to understand an octopus in order to form a bond with it, the subtext seems to present us with an analogy about understanding people (and experiences) that may initially seem foreign to us, as well as showing how these efforts can create new and unbreakable bonds. Think of My Octopus Teacher as a visual illustration of a Venn diagram about the intersection between two different creatures’ respective circles of life.
Time (Amazon Prime, dir. Garrett Bradley)
With the prison pipeline having such a devastating impact on communities throughout the United States, the importance of a documentary like Time cannot be understated. Mostly through the lens of home video, we are shown how the removal of a parent due to incarceration can have lasting impacts on the remaining family unit forced to cope with and adjust life in light of the incarceration. These candid videos give us a view into the life of Shreveport, Louisiana residents Rob and Sibil Fox Richardson, the fallout of the crime Rob and Sibil took part in, Sibil Fox’s attempts to redeem her family and reconcile the past, and all the while, her struggle to raise her six children and get Rob free. While most documentaries of this nature focus on injustices that lead to incarceration, Time opts to talk about the unbalanced nature of punishment in regard to the crimes committed (not to mention the factors that led to crime being seemingly the only option left). While incarceration is a key element to this documentary, what it really champions is the power of family and community, and how important it is for them to band together in times of struggle. Everyone in the film is completely honest and open, and no attempts are made to portray participants as angels or absence of faults, and due to this honesty, the experience of taking in the documentary is enhanced. On a technical level, the black and white presentation not only helps blend the home video footage with original footage much more seamlessly, but it also keeps the project from being dated, which speaks on the timeless nature of issues similar to these.
