Hot Docs 2011: May 2 (Monday)

Reviews of screenings from the 2011 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, Toronto, Canada.

The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (Dir: Göran Hugo Olsson)

The title here is particularly apt. One problem a documentarian can face is how to present archival material — such as the present case of a trove of news footage shot by Swedish journalists. Rather than over-reaching, Olsson has chosen the elegant solution of basically just compiling it together, relying on the images to carry things. There are some new interviews (that come in voiceover form only — no talking heads here) that reflect and give context on the footage, but they generally stay out of the way. Which is for the best — there are some points where they feel mildly extraneous. But just having this archival material available is more than enough: to see America through outsiders' eyes, and hear some of the best and brightest minds (including Stokely Carmichael, Bobby Seale, Huey P. Newton, Angela Davis) of a generation speak is emotionally powerful stuff.

Magic Trip (Dir: Alison Ellwood & Alex Gibney)

This film takes a drastically different approach in considering how to present archival material. During the legendary 1964 cross-country road-trip when Ken Kesey and his band of Merry Pranksters invented the 60's as we know them, the acid-drenched proto-hippies (with Beat hero Neal Cassady at the wheel) filmed everything they did. But the limitations of their gear led to massive problems with the sound sync and, outside of some marathon screenings during the subsequent "Acid Test" events, for decades this material languished. Rather than just laying it out (as in Black Power Mixtape), the film-makers have gone "big" in lavishly reconstructing the material, combining the images with new and old interviews (making for a sort of ongoing metacommentary) as well as some dialogue recreation to bring the material to stunning, vibrant life. All of this is done in the service of exploring the aims and outcomes of Kesey's journey. Were they just the vanguard of a new kind of hedonist, or were they acting as explorers in the best American tradition, pushing out into unmapped realms? Fascinating stuff, looking at the power as well as the banality of legendary events. [Conclude with obligatory comment on this being a worthy "trip".]

Family Portrait in Black and White (Dir: Julia Ivanova)

A compelling introduction to an unusual family. In a small village in Ukraine, Mama Olga has become foster mother to an outsized brood, consisting mostly of black kids — a genuine rarity in a mostly homogeneous society. Olga is full of love and unwavering in her dedication to her family, if somewhat narrow in her ideas of parenting. As we spend more time with them, returning for visits over several years, we see some fissures that her single-mindedness has caused, but her maternal drive can't be questioned. Bring a hanky.

Screening with the eight-minute Hand to Toe: An Exploration in the Art of Giving, which impressionistically explores the dynamics of a simple and profound act of charity: every Wednesday night at a homeless shelter in Yellowknife, volunteers wash the clients' feet. This brings tenderness and human contact to those who might not see much of it in their lives — and a very different dynamic than most ways of relating to the homeless. Shot so that all we see are hands and feet, and brilliantly desaturated so the only colour in the film was the bright red stripe of a woollen sock, this managed to evoke a strong emotional sense while maintaining a meditative feel.