The sudden death of a hero is the work of a traitor

December 16, 2020 1:12 AM

Talking About Trees (Letterboxd) is a documentary film about the Sudanese Film Group’s efforts to reopen a cinema amid censorship and bureaucracy. Winner at the Berlin International Film Festival last year, it was filmed in secret by Suhaib Gasmelbari. Richard Brody at The New Yorker: “What results is some of the best talk, and some of the most dedicated collaborations, and some of the warmest friendships that I’ve seen in a movie in quite a while.”
posted by adrianhon (4 comments total)

Thanks for the heads up on Talking About Trees, I hope to see it.

The BBC article is mostly a fine read, but I gotta quibble a bit with one of their section headings:

How censorship can lead to great art

Because that makes it sound like censorship is a plus for art rather than a burden. That filmmakers operating under restrictive governments can make art about their countries and the difficulties people face their shouldn't be considered a bonus for the artist, but it certainly can be at least suggested that making movies out of a felt need to tell a particular story for its own sake rather than commercial interests can lead to great art, it just doesn't require censorship to do that.
posted by gusottertrout at 2:41 AM on December 16, 2020 [2 favorites]

Thanks, adrianhon! Appreciate the post.
posted by Bella Donna at 7:55 AM on December 16, 2020 [1 favorite]

Thank you for this post!
posted by vocativecase at 9:41 AM on December 16, 2020 [1 favorite]

Fantastic film to watch in a group. I have to watch it again, I think.
posted by ipsative at 10:38 AM on December 17, 2020