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The Gratification of a Few Good Men #atozchallenge #IndieFilm
Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at 11:53PM "I think movies can change people. I want to make films that can change people. I have always been drawn to stories that help us relate to people we might feel we have nothing in common to. Movies allow people to walk a mile in another man’s shoes." - Ted Hope
Narrative feature film WHITE SHADOW by Noaz DesheArtists who create change, stir controversy or have a large impact with their work, show me time and time again that filmmaking can be a worthwhile endeavor when one’s motivation is bigger than the project itself. Some people aren't making movies just for the fun of the process or the entertainment factor it brings audiences.
Instead, they use the medium as a vehicle for fostering change or understanding among people who view it and their industry peers. This is a reason that I can get behind, because there is a force sustaining one’s commitment to stay the course through the turbulent and uncertain times of making movies. The work makes a difference -- either by calling out a problem or by challenging people to view topics from a perspective that they would otherwise not consider.
While the most common and obvious place to find a few good men is among Documentary filmmakers, there are many narrative films helmed by people who are shedding light on important matters. Israeli director Noaz Deshe is one of these people. His feature debut “WHITE SHADOW” is about a young albino boy named Alias whose survival continues to be plagued by witch doctors and other locals who are hunting him for spare parts. Deshe’s movie is inspired by the modern-day underground trade of albino body parts in Tanzania, Kenya and Congo – where people are chopping off limbs of albinos, said to be worth thousands of dollars; in these regions, albino body parts are believed to bring good fortune, prosperity and cure for illness.
The logline for “WHITE SHADOW” sums up its story of a child with a price on his head:
There is a saying in Tanzania
"Albinos don't die they just disappear"- WHITE SHADOW, written & directed by Noaz Deshe
As this movie currently enjoys a well-received run on the film festival circuit, I’m glad that Noaz Deshe and writers/directors like him have found stirring reasons to make movies. When his production crew contracted malaria, they kept moving forward on “WHITE SHADOW.”
When a lion was shot by local military after it killed ten people in the area where Deshe and his crew were filming, they continued to work towards completing this film. The disturbing realities of albino hunting made him do it. We get to become more aware of the world around us, thanks to Deshe and the few good men – and women – whose efforts cause people to pay attention, and for good reason!
Here are the upcoming showtimes for “WHITE SHADOW”...
(Competing in the New Directors category)
April 23, 2014 – 8:45 p.m. – Green Hills Cinema – Theater 4
April 25, 2014 – 12:00 p.m. – Green Hills Cinema – Theater 15
May 4, 2014 - 6:30 p.m. - Sundance Kabuki Cinema
May 6, 2014 - 6:15 p.m. - Sundance Kabuki Cinema
May 8, 2014 - 8:00 p.m. - Sundance Kabuki Cinema
While you're here, you might as well check out yesterday's post about Flying High on Fame. Also, stay tuned for more observations on why we make movies!
Reader Comments (7)
film is a powerful tool. It is good that more directors and writers are using to affect positive changes in the world
I had no idea that albino hunting was going on. How tragic. And that's what is so important about documentary filmmakers: they bring to light subjects and incidents that would otherwise go unnoticed. Great post. Thanks for reminding us about the reasons that drive many great films!
For some reason I wasn't able to paste my blog url into your url area, so typed the general blog url, here's the actual post
Well maybe not, apparently you have a setting that doesn't allow people to do a paste? Hard to type all that out.
Traveling Suitcase A-Z Hope that works. Seems not many will be visiting you if they can't leave an url to the blog url easily. I love documentary films, but sometimes they are hard to watch, so heavy. If you're in the mood to be entertained....they aren't a good idea, as they aren't entertaining. Some books can do the same thing. I'm hoping your note that says your response will be on your own blog is something you forgot to delete for the sake of a-z, since the whole point is to visit other blogs.
Cecilia,
I agree that affecting positive change through films brings more power to the medium by making it more meaningful beyond just being used for the purposes of a recreational past-time. Thanks for your comment! :)
Michele,
We're in the same boat about not knowing that albino hunting was going on. I only found out more about it when I first learned about the movie "WHITE SHADOW," which makes us all lucky to have filmmakers around the world who do some good with their work. This film by Noaz Deshe that I referenced in my post is a narrative film and Deshe intentionally chose that route over making a documentary although he could have just as easily pursued the documentary method because the subject matter is ripe for it. I think his choice to make a narrative film, however, helps to get the message across to more people including men and women who are not fans of documentaries :)
Sandy,
There seems to be a general consensus that documentaries are downers...in that sense, I understand how we have to really be in the mood to watch them but the choice is ours. There are many uplifting documentaries available to watch that are just as entertaining as narrative films. The URL that you entered for your blog is is added to your name on your comment and thus, if you were to click on your name, the URL to your blog is located there. What note are you referring to? I have no idea what you're talking about with regards to a "response will be on your own blog."
Wow. that sounds very powerful. I need to see it.
Documentaries are a great way of sharing information or bringing important topics to the forefront. But there are also several movies that have accomplished the same in a narrative form as White Shadow does for this horrible act. Seriously, I gagged when I read then re-read that being born albino in that part of the world put a price on one's head.
There was a fascinating / horrifying episode of Harry's Law about this same subject. Before that, I had no idea such things were happening.