The last weeks were so crazy.
In a desperate attempt to improve my life I took even part in a competition to get funding to make a documentary film. See here.
Surprisingly enough, I got shortlisted and am now the subject of extended theoretical input of how the ruling elite wants us to make documentary films.
First we got shipped- or better trained, to the Sheffield International Film Festival Newcomers Day.
Unfortunately, the Newcomers Day proved to be as boring as it can be. Lots of professionals telling you how to adapt best to get into “the industry”.
Luckily I was able to skive off and to watch “Condor- the Axis of Evil”:
_
“It’s one of the world’s more sinister international exchange initiatives – the collusion of South America’s military dictators to help each other brutally clamp down on dissidents. 25 years before the US launched its own war on terrorism, dictators in Argentina, Paraguay and Chile created Operation Condor to share both prisoners and torture techniques, working through Interpol and the CIA to eradicate any threat to their power. Argentinean director Rodrigo Vasquez’s remarkable access includes first-hand testimony not just from the victims and their families, but also from the torturers, including cock-eyed Osvaldo Romo, who smiles crookedly while detailing how long it takes to suffocate a man.”_
Anyway, this film saved me reading several biiiig books about the torturer regiment in Latin America and the CIA and USA connection.
And one of the nicest side-effects of the film screening was you got actual in contact with “real people” and it was more practical and realistic and educating for me than the whole hyped Newcomers Day show they put on.
I even met Lucinda. Unfortunately, it was just coinciding with the first wave of flu and headache and bad autumn weather so one after the other was falling ill, and Lucinda had to leave in the middle of the film.
Apparently watching torture reports doesn’t help with headaches.
Another interesting side-effect is that all these professional film people seem to be so incredibly cool, man! (and woman, of course!).
All the passion and excitement seems to have long be gone.
Every profession and occupation seems to take the fun out of what you do
if you have to do it the way the capitalist system demands it.
Okay, then I missed the “100 Doors”, a film about a teenage runaway girl, who goes back to the time in her life when she was dependant on the help of others, and who examines now, later in life, why some people helped and other hindered her.
I was quite interested in that particular film, as my hypothesis needs to be developed on how different and how much it matters on matters of equality and accountability towards the film subject if the person featured in the film can influence its making.
Unfortunately, the film didn’t get shown at all.
short intermezzo:
My friend just got icecast working on the sever. We were able to listen to 15 seconds of “Larry O’Hara is stupid” by Stewart Home, before it disconnected. I am so happy. Soon we will have our small little Imc Scotland Internet Radio. I am so happy. We need to get playlist soon, and some audio interviews and get a programme ready.
Back to our little trip to Sheffield.
We got a room in a hotel, and it was maybe the third time ever staying in a hotel. I didn’t particularly like it. It was an old hotel anyway, and the walls and ceiling and the shower curtain were mouldy, and the interior was quite tasteless. It was a cheaper one, but still too expensive, if I would have had to pay for it. But it was nice to stay, to have at least the first warm shower this half-year, after camping in Annemasse near Evian at the G8 protest.
Well, luckily, with Indymedia, you now seem to get a world-wide protesters accommodation network included with the hard work we do.
Maybe I should earn myself a bit more of accommodation and write another feature, or do the special page “Iraq War” or “Palestine”.
Why I get to talk about accommodation with IMC volunteers?
Because they are the best! And they had the IMC-UK-network meeting clashing with the Sheffield International Film Festival, so were the classes with Nick Broomfield and Mark Cousin, we had last weekend.
I was so disappointed I couldn’t go (but relieved at the same time). Anyway, I would have liked to meet everyone, but I don’t like discussions at such meetings. Too often there are more people big-mouthing and wanting to make decisions without doing the necessary work.
And too often decisions are made on behalf of other people who are expected to follow these decisions through.
Hm, it might seem that the grey and rainy weather gets me down again and puts a negative spin on everything I do.
So, what about the next step of the competition?
We have to step in front of a panel of judges who will then pick 4 ideas out of the 16. Personally, I am a bit torn if I want to have my story “told their way”. Originally when I was setting out to make my documentary I wanted it to empower people, I wanted it to be political and WOW!
amazing and although about serious issues told light-hearted.
Now it seems it gets mangled through the spin doctors.
Hm I hope Ruth gets her idea picked, in fact I guess she will, it is a very strong visual idea. She has got the “chicken and Egg” situation and wants to have a split-screen with on one side a chicken and on the other, an egg developing.
I just hope “slimy” doesn’t get into the final 4.
Everybody else, please, but not “slimy”!
Hm, maybe I am just a bit bitch, but the whole “select 4 out of 16” gets on my nerves. The judges should play the national lottery if they are so keen on numbers.
I also really like the Sudanese football players.
I guess they will also pick something to do with food.
There are so many food suggestions, that it suggests there might have been some very hungry judges at work. They could have a whole series on food.
Food is so incredibly unpolitical, I guess the producers will be so keen to have a food theme. Would I pick chips, ice cream or table manners?
I liked the ice cream poem, so I would probably most likely vote for the ice cream.
Then probably something sporty or fun and something social.
well, whatever.
(Of course, I would vote for me! Not because of my idea being so brilliant, but because I am so passionate about it.)