Review - McLaren

Review by Rod Freedman

McLaren Dir: Roger Donaldson | New Zealand

One for motorsport enthusiasts, this is the true story of Bruce McLaren, an unassuming, obsessed young Kiwi who became an unlikely star of the Formula 1 circuit in the 1960s, before dying in classic fashion at the age of 32 in a car crash. Directed by Roger Donaldson, the film takes us through his spectacular career through interviews with his wife and colleagues, using a wealth of photographs, footage and effective recreations.

This was a time when the top drivers were treated like movie stars. Yet the foundation of McLaren’s fame was an incredibly hard-working man and his team who designed and built their own cars, starting from his dad’s Auckland garage. Though not a fan of motor racing, I was swept along by the story and the character of McLaren as a modest Kiwi who became world famous.

Review - The Dead Nation

Review by Michael Goss

The Dead Nation   Dir: Radu Jude | Romania 2017

The Dead Nation is Director Radu Jude’s haunting account of a troubled period of Romanian history brought back to life using an extensive photo archive. This found-footage film of life in provincial Romania in the lead up to WW2 makes a makes a superb, illuminating selection from this photographic treasure trove.

As a multi-dimensional snapshot of history, the film is a rich evocation of a community on the brink of war. The soundtrack features extracts from the diary of a Jewish doctor fully aware of the approaching catastrophe interwoven with period radio broadcasts and patriotic anthems.

The film is striking in its purity, with beautiful images placed in the context of barely conceivable horrors, crafting a powerful depiction of fractured times that speaks to the unease of our own age.

Review - Dogs of Democracy

Review by Bec Fleming

Dogs of Democracy Dir: Mary Zournazi | Australia, Greece

Dogs of Democracy, written and directed by Mary Zournazi explores the challenges facing democracy in Greece through the eyes of the stray dogs of Athens and the people who  care for them.

There is much to lure dog lovers to this film. Adorable dogs stretch in the sun on the pavement, sidle up to restaurant patrons seeking a snack or a pat: they even stop traffic. But these stray dogs are much more than they seem. In Greece they have become a symbol of hope and compassion.

One would expect a film documenting the crisis in Athens to include stories from the people involved in the protests and academics reflecting on the issues. These stories are included but by telling them through the lens of the dogs of Athens Zournazi creates a greater level of empathy.

The story of Loukanikos, a key narrative thread of the story, was from my perspective the strongest element of the film. Loukanikos was perhaps the most famous of the stray dogs in Greece, a hero of the protest movement. Through interviews with people who knew and cared for Loukanikos the audience comes to feel a strong sense of affection for him.

In the second half of the film we travel to the island of Lesvos and learn something of the despair of the migrant crisis. The film shows us the commonality between migrants, the Greek people suffering under economic pressure and the dogs – all are vulnerable. The film explores kindness to those who are suffering. The welcoming of the ‘other’ as friend.  It is this kind of democracy, the democracy of hope, which is represented in the care shown to the dogs.  

Dogs of Democracy screens​ Sunday, October 22nd at Palace Electric Cinema. Tickets Available Here

Review - I Am Not Your Negro

Review by Rod Freedman

I Am Not Your Negro Dir: Raoul Peck | USA

If you think you know about the American civil rights movement, this Oscar-nominated film directed by political filmmaker Raoul Peck, will give you insight on a deeper level both poetic and political. James Baldwin’s words, narrated by Samuel L Jackson, take us inside those seminal and traumatic times.

Baldwin started but never finished, a book on Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and Medgar Evers, three very different activists who were each assassinated. Baldwin’s unpublished writing is the profound, passionate and eloquent voice that takes us inside those times and struggles. The archival footage is extraordinary and powerful, including passages of Baldwin at talk shows, interviews and rallies. The consistency and power of Baldwin’s reflections and intellect make for a cohesive, emotional and ultimately uplifting experience. 

ROD FREEDMAN is an independent director and producer whose documentaries have won many Australian and international awards and screened in dozens of film festivals. Rod is particularly interested in stories about people and their life’s journeys.