Shoah (1985) Director: Claude Lanzmann Runtime: 566 min Shoah is the Hebrew term for the Holocaust, the genocide of approximately six million of European Jews conducted by Nazis (and their collaborators) during World War II. It is very difficult to find the words to express or think about the Nazi industry of death. I will …
Chronique des Années de Braise (1975) Director: Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina Actors: Yorgo Voyagis, Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina, Leila Shenna Runtime: 177 min It is very rare to see colonialism depicted from the perspective of the enslaved. In this great Algerian movie, director Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina succeeded in showing the essence of colonial rule and many aspects of resistance to …
Les statues meurent aussi (1953) Directors: Chris Marker, Alain Resnais Runtime: 30 min The narrator says in the opening sequence: “When men die, they become history. Once statues die, they become art. This botany of death is what we call culture.” This documentary makes an excellent analysis of the cold cruelty by which colonialism and …
Syriana (2005) Director: Stephen Gaghan Actors: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Jeffrey Wright Runtime: 128 min A movie about the impact of the oil industry and petroleum politics on the Middle East, but also on world politics. Syriana is a term used by Washington think-tanks to describe a hypothetical re-shaping of the Middle East. The structure …
Now & Later (2009) Director: Philippe Diaz Actors: Shari Solanis, Keller Wortham Runtime: 99 min At the very beginning we are welcomed with Wilhelm Reich‘s quote: “A sexually repressed society will resort to violence.” He is an international trader – a speculator who grew up in a typical American family devoted to power and success. …
Counter-Intelligence (2013) Director: Scott Noble Runtime: around 330 min Exceptional five-part documentary series which aims to show through in-depth analysis how the current world order, dominated by the USA as an imperial power, is maintained primarily by (public or concealed) organized violence of huge proportions and the threat of violence, destruction, torture and death of …
La Patagonia rebelde (1974) Director: Héctor Olivera Actors: Héctor Alterio, Luis Brandoni, José Soriano Runtime: 110 min Rebellion in Patagonia is a name given to the turmoil during 1920 and 1921 in the province of Santa Cruz in Patagonia, a region at the southern tip of South America. The export price of wool and other …
Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010) Director: Banksy Runtime: 87 min Thierry Guetta (born in Paris, lives in L.A) was for many years obsessed with video cameras and documenting every moment in his life, until he discovered street art which became his new obsession. Or maybe the whole thing was made up and planned by …
Afrique 50 (1950) Director: René Vautier Runtime: 17 min René Vautier went to West Africa to make a documentary for the French League of Schooling, but when he arrived there he was appalled by the colonial exploitation, brutal crimes of the French army and poverty people lived in. Although upon his return to the country, …
Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie (1972) Director: Luis Buñuel Actors: Fernando Rey, Paul Frankeur, Delphine Seyrig Runtime: 102 min The movie follows a group of friends from upper middle class and their consistently interrupted attempts to have a meal together. They are experts on expensive food and drinks, know how to enjoy without haste, …
