This month’s films shine a light into rarely seen places and tell stories that would otherwise never be known. We see Australians responding to global crises by living simper lives, Iraqis making music to remember their history, the Indian children born into communities of sex workers and the methods of a vigilante Ukrainian pastor. These are stories that are a reminder of the many lives that exist beyond the news and social media.
A Simpler Way
Jordan Osmond follows an Australian community that chose to adopt a collective response to global crises. Exploring the idea of “voluntary simplicity”, A Simpler Way looks at how permaculture, economic delocalisation, material sufficiency and alternative technologies changed the lives of the residents of Wurruk’an, a small village in Gippsland, Victoria.
Born Into Brothels
Zana Briski’s Academy Award-winning documentary follows a group of children living in Kolkata’s red-light district. Born to sex workers, Briski gave cameras to the children and asked them to document their lives. What emerged were striking images of life spent in what is ultimately a parallel universe; the dark side of India’s mobile middle class and the country’s booming economy.
On the Banks of the Tigris: The Hidden Story of Iraqi Music
Director Marsha Emerman follows Iraqi exile Majid Shokor as he ventures from his home in Australia to trace the origins of Iraqi music. As they visit the diaspora throughout Europe, and explore the strong Jewish element to the music, Shokor and Emerman create a moving tribute to a vanishing art form.
The Gateway Bug
Until recently, the idea of the industrial production of edible insects seemed a strange and unpopular one. But now, as two billion people source at least some of their protein from insects, and humanity is being forced to rethink food production, edible insects are an idea worth exploring. TV show host Andrew Zimmern meets people staking their livelihoods on the rise of the bug and finds what is fuelling their faith.
Almost Holy
In the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, child welfare activist Gennadiy Mokhnenko is a controversial figure. Often literally hauling children out of abusive households and off the streets to populate his Pilgrim centre, his bid to save the lives of the city’s children crosses legal lines. Dealing with anger from both parents and children, director Steve Hoover explores the myriad ethical conundrums of Mokhnenko’s outreach work.
