Our Cinema and Social Change class watched the documentary film, Darwin's Nightmare. This was a film that took place in Tanzania and revealed the life of the inhabitants. Displayed through footage was the obvious poverty (hunger, prostitution, aids, drug use), the affect of an introduction of perch in their Lake which then led to a jump in the fish industry, and the possibility of weapon transport going through the same planes that carry fish to Europe.
One argument apparent in almost all the articles was the argument that Hubert Sauper, the director, had a clear objective in his film. His opinions, beliefs, and side of the story was obviously told by the people he chose to interview, the footage he chose to use, and the topics he chose to emphasize. I believe his choice to only display his view was the main argument for this whole unit.
B- Raise Useful Questions
The very first article we read in our packet had the bold title of "Can a film change the world?" I don't necessarily feel comfortable saying that one film can completely flip our world upside down in one fatal sweep, but I do believe that it could be a strong enough catalyst to alter our lives as we know it.
In my Cinema and Social Change class we were set off to interview different individuals on their views of media and social change. My interviewee stated that he believed film to be "the strongest form of media." I agree. Not only does film have the audio strength like it's older cousin, the radio, but it also has visual representation of everything that is stated.
Remember that phrase, "seeing is believing?" Like it or not, that phrase rings true in more situations that I can even imagine. I do believe that a film can change the world just based on simple things that I have seen in my life as a member of society."
Women all around me are self conscious and obsessed with image because of the mass display of 'perfect women' that are churned out by Hollywood and advertisements. I even almost fell into the pit of anorexic despair in junior high until the fateful day when the only person that noticed, my physical education teacher, died of a car accident. Sure, young women starving themselves isn't necessarily blamed on one particular movie, but the combination of teeny bopper movies with 'hot chicks' with tiny wastes definitely makes an impact.
Not only are the female (and male) members of our generation plagued with the expectations of bodily perfection, but we are also plagued with the glorification of sex, drugs, alcohol, and violence. I grew up with a blunt and honest mother that did the best she could to be honest with her experiences having to do with sex, drugs, alcohol, and sex. How many movies and ads do you see where all of the above are matched with heart accelerating music and sexy men stealing your attention? A change in the world's view brought by film(s)? I think so.
Think of all of your idols that you don't know personally. How many of them are celebrities fresh off the red carpet? How many of these celebrities workout countless hours and obsess about their diets until their bodies are perfectly shaped like greek statues? How many times have you thought, "Man! I wish I had a bod' like Cameron Diaz?" Is that a change induced by media? It may not have to do with poverty or war, but it is a change that films have brought to my life that I can connect too. Yes, I believe a film can change the world. I know they have changed mine.
One of the burning questions I have after watching Darwin's Nightmare is, "Where the hell does the billions of dollars from the perch factory go? Why isn't it going to the people?" There is all this talk of the perch profiting the factory at the SAME TIME as all the footage of kids going hungry. Who own's this factory? Why isn't Tanzania doing better if it has all of this money pouring in through their industry? Who is benefiting?
Was Tanzania better off without the perch? Would the village have died out without this new source of raw material brought by some "experiment" in the 60's. To biologists, who probably cried themselves to sleep at night when the perch ate away most of the natural inhabitants of Victoria Lake, this may have been a crime. What would have happened if the perch had never entered the water? There is a quote from Hubert Sauper in the article In the Heart of Darkness that states:
"It is so incredible that wherever prime raw material is discovered, systematically the locals die in misery, their sons become soldiers and their daughters are turned into servants and whores."
Would the village be better off then they are now? I don't have an answer to that.
Is the controversial question of the planes that come to pick up the frozen perch fillets to feed Europe carrying guns into the country true? That is a question that is neither clearly verified nor denied. It seems that Sauper asks every subject in front of the camera whether they believed arms were brought in. This was a strong representation to how he brings in his ideas and opinions to the film. Is his belief true? Well, that IS a good question!
Another question is whether Hubert Sauper should have been less biased in his vision of the film. We view his side of the story and his view, but there isn't really a revealing of any other opinion other than the dark despair of poverty. Do documentaries have to show 2 sides?
C- Suggest Possible issues for Class Discussion
- Globalization in reference to Tanzania.
- Perch- A positive or a negative introduction in the 60's.
- The factory makes food too expensive for them to buy. Is it fair for a village to produce food it cannot afford to eat?
- War- is it better or worse for Tanzania?
- Do documentaries have an obligation to tell both sides of a story or is it alright to only tell their own?
- Aids, poverty and hunger. How can it be fixed, if at all? Did this film help the situation?
D- Offer Original Analysis
It's so hard for me to solidify my own conclusions with films like this. I've always been a middle class citizen of the U.S., and the only extreme hunger I've ever felt was when my mouth couldn't keep up with my metabolism in High School.
Here's What I Think
I think that a documentary film has the right just to show one person's opinion. Even if there is two sides. No matter what, it's hard not to let opinions shine through without subtle methods such as music and editing unconsciously steering the direction. To me, a documentary is the creator's perception of reality. Though 'non-fiction,' I believe it's almost impossible to tell the 'real truth' because truth is relative. It all depends on each member of the situation's opinions and beliefs. Even Sauper, an outsider looking in, has a right to tell his side of the story.
Poverty, war, and Aids. Though I hear about them everyday, I am an ignorant and very lucky girl to have never come faced with it. I don't feel right to even have an opinion. What do I know about it? I think it's unfair that the villagers don't get to eat the fish they package. Again, remember I am naive, and don't like the idea of war. It's hard for me to accept that war is necessary in certain situations. Call me a hippy, I could very well be.
Aids? I wish I could give ever girl that endangers her body with disease when she goes out to attempt to find a way to support herself in order to survive a life supply worth of condoms. Are these ideas realistic? I have no idea, because I have never lived the situation in order to make the Tanzanian's reality my own.
E- Include New Terminology research
I have been in various government and history classes where globalization is mentioned, but the definitions I looked up in my cute little "world history" textbook from 10th grade didn't help me understand the whole picture of how globalization made such an impact on Tanzania. I decided to look up globalization and come to my own conclusions.
Good Ol' Dictionary.com's definition(s) of globalization:
-n
- The process enabling financial and investment markets to operate internationally, largely as a result of deregulation and improved communications.
- The emergence since the 1980's of a single world market dominated by multinational companies, leading to a diminishing capacity for national governments to control their economies.
- The process by which a company, etc, expands to operate internationally.
Good Ol' Me attempting to connect the two:
Well, obviously the perch are "enabling financial and investment markets to operate internationally." I mean, all the fish from Tanzania goes to Europe. Does Europe own the factory then? That would answer my answer of who the billions of dollars of profit from the fish industry goes to. That's kind of sad.
Again, in all those history classes I read the word cash crop. Alas, in my years focusing on theatre and film, I have conveniently forgot just what that was. Dictionary.com helps out once again:
-noun
- any crop that is considered easily marketable, as wheat or cotton. Or in this case, Perch.
- a crop for direct sale in market, as distinguished from a crop for use as livestock feed or other purposes.
I grew up with a dad who's greatest joy was to go fishing with his daughters. This means that I have had a great deal of time with perch. The only difference is that the perch I caught were sort of the 'wimpy' fish. We were always going off to find bigger and better things. Perch were just the backup plan if we didn't catch anything else. The perch in Darwin's Nightmare were HUGE!!! I never remember catching one of THOSE when I was five years old! I decided it'd be interesting to look up the difference between these two fish that are called perch.
MY PERCH
I researched 'perch fishing in Montana' in Google and found a very tasty article on yellow perch from the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks site.
Here are some quotes:
Yellow perch, more commonly known simply as perch, are not native to Montana. They were introduced to the state from other parts of the country, where they were originally found. In Montana, the populations of perch have flourished, and they are now one of the most popular fish in the state.
Perch are popular fish even though they are sometimes not very large. As opposed to the friggin' huge ones in Tanzania. Though perch do not get as big as some other fish in Montana, they are very numerous Like in Tanzania, and anglers can catch a lot of them. One of the best things about perch is that they are delicious to eat. I remember enjoying them. Though, the enjoyment was probably because I got to spend a whole day with my dad all to myself.
Perch are found across much of the state. Although they can sometimes be found in slow moving rivers and streams, it seems like lakes, ponds and reservoirs are where perch do best. They can tolerate a wide range of water temperatures, but seem to prefer cool clear water. Underwater plants, or "weeds", are important to perch as well. They spawn, or lay their eggs on the weeds, and also spend time in the weedy areas of the lake, hiding from larger predatory fish, or searching for aquatic insects and small fish that they can eat
THEIR PERCH
I looked up "nile perch" on Google and found an article on Wikipedia. Here is the wonderful summery that the personnel of Wikipedia gave us:
The Nile perch (Lates niloticus) is a species of freshwater fish in family Latidae of orderPerciformes. It is widespread throughout much of the Afrotropic ecozone, being native to theCongo, Nile, Senegal, Niger, and Lake Chad, Volta, Lake Turkana and other river basins. It also occurs in the brackish waters of Lake Maryut in Egypt. Originally described as Labrus niloticus,among the marine wrasses, the species has also been referred to as Centropomus niloticus. Common names include African snook, Capitaine, Victoria perch (a misleading trade name, as the species is not native to Lake Victoria), and a large number of local names in various African languages, such as the Luo name Mbuta.
Lates niloticus is silver in colour with a blue tinge. It has a distinctive dark black eye, with a bright yellow outer ring. One of the largest freshwater fish, it reaches a maximum length of nearly two metres (more than six feet), weighing up to 200 kg (440 lb).[1] Mature fish average 121–137 cm (48–54 in), although many fish are caught before they can grow this large.[2]Adult Nile perch occupy all habitats of a lake with sufficient oxygen concentrations, while juveniles are restricted to shallow or nearshore environments. A fierce predator that dominates its surroundings, the Nile perch feeds on fish (including its own species),crustaceans, and insects; the juveniles also feed onzooplankton.
Nile perch have been introduced to many other lakes in Africa, including Lake Victoria (see below) and the artificial Lake Nasser. The IUCN's (World Conservation Union) Invasive Species Specialist Group considersLates niloticus one of the world's 100 worst invasive species. The state of Queensland in Australia levies heavy fines on anyone found in possession of a living Nile perch, since it competes directly with the native Barramundi, which is similar but does not reach the same size as the Nile perch.
The species is of great commercial importance as a food fish. The Nile perch is also popular with sport anglers as it attacks artificial fishing lures and is also raised in aquaculture.
No comments:
Post a Comment