One of the most thought-provoking categories of the Oscars – and one that’s filled with fantastic movies not enough people usually get to see – is Best Documentary Feature. So far, I’ve only seen three out of the five but I was so blown away by a couple of them, I can’t stop thinking about them.
Although I liked Searching for Sugar Man, I just don’t think it should have won the Academy Award. Yes, it’s a fascinating story about Rodriguez, a ‘70s rock phenomenon most of us have never heard of, and it’s amazing that it’s true. But, to me, an Oscar-winning documentary should be more than that.
How to Survive a Plague, now available on DVD, is way more than that. In fact, it’s one of the most inspiring movies I’ve ever seen, telling a story that will forever change the way I look at the world and my own role in it.
Writer/director David France beautifully captures the bravery, persistence and determination of a group of activists trying desperately to save their own lives – and those of their friends – during the AIDS epidemic. As years pass and millions of deaths continue to tick away, these men and women never give up. They relentless pursue the attention of the media, the government and the pharmaceutical industry, bucking the bureaucracy, researching treatments and medications on their own, and risking everything.
Because of their heroic efforts, AIDS is no longer a death sentence. By taking it upon themselves to demand a cure, they have saved millions of lives. This was, literally, a life and death fight – and the fact that they won it is so empowering. Imagine what their unorthodox approach could mean for finding a cure for cancer, for civil rights, for any injustice. This is a truly life-changing movie.
The Invisible War, also out on DVD now, is another powerhouse documentary, telling the horrifying story of a different kind of epidemic: rape within the United States military. The statistics alone will make you sick – female soldiers are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire; twenty percent of all active-duty servicewomen are sexually assaulted; fifteen percent of Navy recruits have admitted to having raped someone before enlisting.
It is harrowing to listen to these brave soldiers, both male and female, recount their experiences — and the equally painful aftermath. In sweeping hundreds of thousands of rapes under the rug, the military has punished the survivors rather than the rapists themselves, leaving them traumatized, disabled and ostracized while their attackers get promoted and are free to rape again.
These survivors are articulate and smart and were passionate about their jobs. They enlisted because they genuinely wanted to serve their country. The military systematically destroyed their idealism, and ended up losing the type of soldiers I, for one, would be proud to see representing my country.
I applaud and admire these soldiers for speaking out and filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering for bringing this shocking cover-up to the public’s attention. Because of them, the government has finally made some long overdue changes in the system. This is a step in the right direction which would never have happened without a movie like this.
I truly believe many Academy voters didn’t even watch these two documentaries because of their difficult subject matter but I guess, ultimately, the statue is the least of it. By making these important films and giving a voice to these courageous men and women, they’ve already won.
My movie group is seeing The Gatekeeper this weekend and will discuss at our monthly meeting on March 17. I will write again after our meeting.
My son who is a film maker and his creative film partner, Braddon Vedder, recently helped create a wonderful documentary called, La Source, the inspiring story of how one man was able to bring water to his village in Haiti. While La Source was thrown into the nomination process for an Oscar, it ultimately didn’t make it……but it is a really worthwhile film to watch….very empowering! You can read more at my sons site, http://www.allcutupfilms.com or just Google, “La Source the movie”………while my son, Colin’s name appears in the credits at the end….this was all Brandons doing! Kudos to him!
Totally agree, and thought the Invisible War was the winner, with Plague right behind it. Also, Inocente was inspiring, but Mondays with Racine with the highlight for me. Each year, anyone can attend DocuDay, the Saturday before the Oscar presentation, at which ALL the Oscar nominated documentaries are screened with the filmmakers and sometimes the “stars” discuss their film. The only way I know about this was by subscribing to the Intl. Documentary Assoc. website (IDA) and they send info all year long, until (finally) they send the option of buying tickets for DocuDay. Check it out.
I haven’t seen the documentaries above so thanks for the recommendations and can’t wait to see them. I do have to stick up for Searching for Sugarman because I thought it was much more then just a documentary about a singer. The impact he had on South Africa was amazing, the history I was reminded of, and the fact that one person can have an impact and not even know it tells me we all need to continue to do our best. It also showed that living simply can be done. I was very happy it won and look forward to seeing the others mentioned above.
I’ve seen all the nominated documentaries except The Gatekeepers. It’s so frustrating to realize that the sick and military women can be so wronged in our country of such abundance and intellect. You want to do something about it but how? On the other hand, I did go out and buy the soundtrack from Sugarman. How did we miss Rodriguez in the 70’s? I have something to listen to as I worry about the problems of the world!