ANONYMOUS - OUR VOICE

Why the Olympics opening ceremony felt kinda weird

<div><img class="ff-og-image-inserted" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YKu5sKoC_u6zg9OTbAmGEtmf14A=/0x511:5544x3414/fit-in/1200x630/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23218457/GettyImages_1368587679.jpg" /></div>
The Beijing Winter Olympics kicked off to an expectedly weird start, thanks to the unprecedented challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic. Directed by legendary Chinese film director Zhang Yimou (who also directed the 2008 Beijing opening ceremony), this year’s opening ceremony focused on visual spectacle, with giant LED screens covering the floor and lining the stage, and no celebrity entertainers.
Facing <a href="https://www.vox.com/22451173/olympics-2022-winter-beijing-china-uyghurs-genocide">a diplomatic boycott</a> from many countries over <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/7/28/21333345/uighurs-china-internment-camps-forced-labor-xinjiang">its human rights violations</a>, including the US — meaning the United States sent no official government envoy to the Games but its athletes are competing as usual — China took a low-key approach to this year’s opening ceremony. But inevitably, the tense geopolitics surrounding the event snuck in.
The production, which dovetailed with the Chinese New Year spring festival, included about 3,000 performers, <a href="https://www.beijing2022.cn/wog.htm?cmsid=20220129006136">most of them teenagers</a>, and emphasized peace, world unity, and the people around the world who have battled the pandemic. The unifying aesthetic was about as peaceful as you could get: snowflakes.
In the buildup to the ceremony, China had encouraged athletes to sign a “<a href="https://www.beijing2022.cn/wog.htm?cmsid=MHI2022020200238100">truce mural</a>” with other nations. The government also rolled out a <a href="https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3165599/will-chinas-beijing-winter-olympics-spur-snow-sports-boom">massive winter sports initiative</a> prior to the Games, claiming it had successfully engaged more than 300 million Chinese citizens in winter sports participation, especially targeting kids and teens. The ceremony emphasized these citizens above all else, with no famous singers or actors performing — a first for any Olympics in recent memory.
This was due perhaps in part to the difficulty of coordinating live celebrity performances while Beijing is still under <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/beijing-steps-up-covid-19-control-measures-ahead-of-lunar-new-year-winter-olympics-11643286485">a period of intense lockdown</a> due to the pandemic. It happens to be in accord with China’s year-long <a href="https://www.glimpsefromtheglobe.com/regions/asia-and-the-pacific/china-cracks-down-on-digital-fandoms-behind-the-qinglang-operation/">“QingLang” campaign</a> to <a href="https://www.whatsonweibo.com/love-the-motherland-new-moral-guidelines-for-chinese-performers-come-into-force/">rein in the status of celebrities</a> and their fans — a sweeping attempt to control both the undue influence of idols as well as their often out-of-control fandoms.
It’s in keeping with China’s <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-55355401">messaging</a> since the pandemic began: We’re all in this together, getting through this together, thanks to the tireless commitment of “<a href="https://madeinchinajournal.com/2021/05/30/the-cultural-politics-of-national-tragedies-and-personal-sacrifice-state-narratives-of-chinas-ordinary-heroes-of-the-covid-19-pandemic/">ordinary heroes</a>” like volunteers and essential workers — who had to execute China’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/04/briefing/zero-covid-china-olympics.html">draconian (though highly successful) Covid policy</a>. Since 2021 was the Chinese Communist Party’s 100th anniversary, that narrative has also aligned with <a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/12/28/china-ccp-centenary-centennial-xi-jinping-thought-history/">a heavy emphasis</a> on the importance of youth to carry the nation (and Chinese communism) into the future.
That theme played heavily into the opening ceremonies, from the presence of seas of cute children smiling and singing onstage to a video featuring kids not much older than toddlers skiing and skating to the passing of the Olympic torch. For the cauldron lighting, Chinese athletes born in succeeding decades passed the torch along to one another, ending with two athletes born in the 2000s (one of whom embodied a message to the world, but more on that in a second).
Throughout the parade of nations, happy volunteers jumped, danced, and waved alongside the competing Olympic athletes alongside a backdrop of utterly inoffensive European classical music. A bucolic snowflake aesthetic dominated the presentation, apparently emphasizing not the uniqueness of every snowflake, but the calm uniformity of the collective snowfall awaiting spring. Easy to imagine it all as a metaphor for the commonality of the global Olympics audience as we all await an end to Covid surges. At one point, roller skaters made idyllic snowflake patterns to the tune of John Lennon’s “Imagine.”
Despite the banal quality of it all, the scene still held political tension. Viewers watching the NBC live feed of the ceremony got plenty of glimpses of Vladimir Putin, isolated in Russia’s box, attending the event despite being embroiled in <a href="https://www.vox.com/2022/1/31/22910635/russia-ukraine-border-crisis-us-nato">a border standoff with Ukraine</a> that threatens to overshadow the Games and their focus on global unity.
As Chinese President Xi Jinping looked on, in the final moments, the Olympic torch was passed to 21-year-old cross-country skier <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dini0503/?hl=en">Dinigeer Yilamujiang</a>, who is a member of China’s Uyghur ethnic minority. Human rights experts have accused the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of detaining millions of Uyghurs in <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/7/28/21333345/uighurs-china-internment-camps-forced-labor-xinjiang">forced human labor camps in Xinjiang</a>; the US State Department has <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/30/china-genocide-uighurs-xinjiang-state-department-report-human-rights">described</a> the actions as genocide and alleged China is committing other crimes against humanity like rape, forced sterilization, and torture.
China has claimed, despite <a href="https://www.rand.org/blog/rand-review/2021/04/chinas-disappeared-uyghurs-what-satellite-images-reveal.html">significant</a> <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/xinjiang-footage-sheds-new-light-on-uyghur-detention-camps/a-59880898">evidence</a> to the contrary, that the camps don’t exist, that workers’ labor is voluntary, and that accusations to the contrary are “<a href="https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202103/20/WS60554c0ea31024ad0bab0672.html">the lie of the century</a>.” So the decision to prominently feature Yilamujiang to end the opening ceremony is a deeply political one — and one that will significantly complicate the message of unity conveyed in the Olympics’ opening ceremony. (Yilamujiang isn’t the first Uyghur athlete to carry the torch for China; Kamaltürk Yalqun, who carried the torch at age 17 in the 2008 Olympics, now lives in the US and <a href="https://www.tenterfieldstar.com.au/story/7606769/uyghur-2008-torch-bearer-laments-china/">has spent years protesting</a> China’s persecution of the Uyghurs.)
China also welcomed separate delegations from Taiwan (competing as the “Chinese Taipei” team) and Hong Kong, despite its <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/7/2/21309902/china-national-security-law-hong-kong-protests-us-sanctions">attempts</a> to bring those regions more tightly into its orbit and its emphasis on a <a href="https://www.vox.com/world/2017/2/10/14575442/trump-accept-one-china">“One China” policy</a>. As Yale professor Jing Tsu explained during NBC’s coverage, these contradictions are somewhat inherent to China’s political strategy: The country doesn’t necessarily expect to change minds, globally, with its message — but still, it is a clear one: unity, the future, and peace on earth. “We’ll see if there are any takers,” Tsu said.
Still, it’s always worth noting that China and its people are not a monolith, nor are they synonymous with the CCP and its human rights abuses — whatever the CCP might want you to think. While China’s Olympic delegation obviously got the biggest cheer of the night from the hometown crowd, the Beijing Olympics Committee stressed a warm welcome to all the participating nations, from the <a href="https://twitter.com/tacodesandwich/status/1489590470045052932">Mexican athletes</a> wearing Day of the Dead jackets to the solo <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/1489592871816728584">American Samoa delegate</a> who arrived shirtless, fully Vaselined, and ready to play.
Perhaps the opening ceremony did remind us of one thing: No amount of strange precedence or geopolitical tensions can fully suppress the thrilling and unexpected pleasures of the Olympics, from the weird and wacky to the groundbreaking and heroic. Let the Games begin!
 
 
source <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2022/2/4/22917558/beijing-winter-olympics-2022-opening-ceremony-politics">https://www.vox.com/culture/2022/2/4/22917558/beijing-winter-olympics-2022-opening-ceremony-politics</a>

vox Why the Olympics opening ceremony felt kinda weird

The Beijing Winter Olympics kicked off to an expectedly weird start, thanks to the unprecedented challenges presented by the Covid-19 pande...

From a volcano love story to an all-girl metal band, 15 documentaries you can’t miss

Just look at any streaming service’s offerings: Nonfiction cinema (or just “documentaries,” if you prefer) is in its heyday. Filmmakers are bending and twisting and experimenting with the form, and the results are often more exciting than what’s happening with their fictional counterparts.
So it’s no surprise that this year’s Sundance Film Festival, which often premieres the year’s buzziest and most brilliant documentaries, was loaded with fascinating, challenging, and entertaining offerings. From playful explorations of the natural world to portraits of countries — and even one film shot <a href="https://www.vox.com/22906200/virtual-reality-vr-art-sundance-2022">entirely in virtual reality</a> — here are the 15 nonfiction films to watch for this year, and where to find them.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_2119_209755" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208432,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Gx8cnbNK0_1nSZNs1JSO91B2Fg0=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/D_afN4olQgdXTjUO9d475auGP8E=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZL1XNGFwMq1ag1Q35ya_v7FAEoE=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DhwK3dNeCqrRwx28qKtbjP76iZM=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FBiZU4elcHNxA9v-Ej_Qe7sQSwo=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UZziLsjK6BBJkeNzstYsD3cO1cM=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mRcxX3AFt8Ac0Zlbqc3Uoo03IHo=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iaivh5fe5TXXG9cTqB4p1htQrAg=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZZ_YRIAiInBIbanxNZFNmka_ucA=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="Richard Davis, a white man in shorts and a camo jacket, stands in front of a camo-painted car parked on a driveway next to a large lawn." data-upload-width="2048" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CN73eYkX9AfOYOS3c_AvfWsp74M=/0x0:2048x1152/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CASLpv6Dai4_TcKrtJPT-6fCQLw=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/sRkxmLzMU2ymZIwZihQOq9Iwh9Q=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PdsuOGbcgUh9sAAmLW5hq92CmyE=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pk9ie6umzaUNfAsOmcbRkB1winY=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/l2ghYZQuucN0FX0eJjoC9KsvS5c=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_Gz2yZkr-jkn3ndS-c4EHujfyus=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ISkvbYKegsiKTG55HryDD9D6FtU=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Q3_Q03GLOG4lby8HV_zHB4QkMSA=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pJj9aCNiDXfVe41HvwVq6ad5sjA=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208432/2ndchance.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>A still from 2nd Chance.</figcaption>
<cite>Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
Ramin Bahrani usually makes fiction films (like <a href="https://www.vox.com/22242340/white-tiger-review-netflix-ramin-bahrani">White Tiger</a> or Chop Shop), but for his first feature documentary he turned to Richard Davis, the man who invented the concealable bulletproof vest. Bahrani sees Davis — with his gun obsession, self-mythologizing, penchant for ignoring inconvenient facts, and cult of personality — as a kind of stand-in for America, and 2nd Chance makes the strong case that he’s right. Through startlingly candid interviews, wild archival footage, and a keen visual sense, Bahrani shows how Davis’s invention changed the world, and what the true lasting effects of that change have been.
How to watch it: 2nd Chance is awaiting distribution.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_1269_209756" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208433,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eX3dNlKcQCAlcSh53auhjdIYXWM=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Q_9wW5Yty2oG96llgXQkyYWQ8GI=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/g4apNBwUsOlzxNikdSM_N_9_bBo=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xCGCZt8R0_P9ylrraSvRMT9f8z4=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8Q-CoJpJakXF77gnJS6di6vRoKE=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NNNBHdaHrnlStyfXvgYtMSYa1A4=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XItw9W742bjtG5QbGSCDkU4nBKA=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/s4NFQeTGenlK91qiqZ2u45UVlMw=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5raMHi0ABn0LvSEJeoP2WYCzzUU=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="A white man stands in a room surrounded by sound panels, holding a large and fancy microphone and wearing headphones." data-upload-width="2048" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dbpANizBzToUxv20Y6pjRFB1ILs=/0x0:2048x1152/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KRTwAv7SGDquQwVMzFQgrRJabdY=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/K4br5PyKPL9O1Euq5AZzPGPd7HQ=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nnuIGI_kyzdghDrtFj_p8e9HuOM=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fj2us8wgATrtLczgjla3cUn0t8E=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Q4S4aKwhATMPplZnFPKe9MxU-g4=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UWMuMP6Bq2PP802UfyFEHtNQgjU=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xNRRAJnzpuS1s5b7TlnHzVoIDz4=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dc5oRdHxbsFzuDbI3KOcfNlGOHY=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YOcEE1xSujj1P4zrsg-lds4vZi4=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208433/32sounds.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>A still from 32 Sounds.</figcaption>
<cite>Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
Sam Green’s 32 Sounds is a playful, thoughtful documentary, best watched wearing headphones or in a live performance (really!). Green narrates the film, which explores the world of sound and its meaning for human existence. At times, text on screen instructs the viewer to close their eyes to experience the sound more fully. The sound is carefully designed so that you feel like you’re in the film, rather than just an observer, in a way that’s even more immersive than a state-of-the-art movie theater. It’s a delightful, joyous film that changes the way you look at — or maybe listen to — the world.
How to watch it: 32 Sounds will tour as live performances; <a href="https://32sounds.com/shows/">check the website for details</a>.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_253_209757" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208434,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eTWJxc_ceGgqkwYrJYU1pvxe5ck=/0x0:2047x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PvSF0y5Ar8zFpG7QPc5uctKrJPI=/0x0:2047x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KIcbjVN6-RigDFU5_mq5k2gTCl0=/0x0:2047x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/47mjkUq6nAckm-xD_7Of44BavAw=/0x0:2047x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2vKUsFPAwvxtq5IJFdqEsNf_R9A=/0x0:2047x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/MluNsoCnthAUlpxaGUNZ9X-_t58=/0x0:2047x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NqCzCe-tGWj3aZBNv2lt3U3Xln8=/0x0:2047x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/e-75z0F9PwaYV4A4dbrn9FPX7PI=/0x0:2047x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/aHihtLPBgqyus-TePgYhcMP1n94=/0x0:2047x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="Two little girls sit together in a dimly lit hallway." data-upload-width="2047" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8nvFsMDeGRU2zvxC4w6PXdvYNo0=/0x0:2047x1152/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/z5LfbtaDqCAZOBEQN64qGFODOqo=/0x0:2047x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UKkKw7TmIzMx7iTwxjmBRM3qg5c=/0x0:2047x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PSBqCNPilsQu5siJTlp23v4nyPg=/0x0:2047x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2LZ5PMCLpKOSSAbcUAWGFpYWeuc=/0x0:2047x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nt2IPTyiW2EdNqGBqmrad_ldRg0=/0x0:2047x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jiGgdjBneD4fWa6FxxEPICR_Jzc=/0x0:2047x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xG7PWvm7xnC7s82jyqSjF9QQkfU=/0x0:2047x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/lA-dEkXpJDzrGEUDofbaI5N5E7k=/0x0:2047x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2Nufp87yLuHQLxSZtS3lhzmF4GQ=/0x0:2047x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208434/ahousemadeofsplinters.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>A still from A House Made of Splinters.</figcaption>
<cite>Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
A documentary of stunning intimacy, A House Made of Splinters is an observational film about children living in a group home in Lysychansk, Ukraine; it’s designed to be a temporary living situation for children in at-risk situations. The women who run the home are caring and nurturing, but that can’t change the struggles the children face every day: longing for parents whose alcoholism keeps them from even visiting, or fearing violence at home, or worrying that they’ll be separated from their siblings and friends. There are no easy answers, but Simon Lereng Wilmont’s careful camerawork and clear rapport with the children lead to uncommonly candid footage and, occasionally, a sense of hope.
How to watch it: A House Made of Splinters is awaiting distribution.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_408_209758" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208435,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FzLIwCWJ08_nPD_x_SkmhMrsp_A=/0x0:2048x1149/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dg8gRjW2WETzE_Tzs-y1cF16sSE=/0x0:2048x1149/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KhYFB32SAwVxnypolepyp25Tsb8=/0x0:2048x1149/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5lafJWI4_w6cHUxUqHUWl9v68sQ=/0x0:2048x1149/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1WUQtBl17stcLJpo-C8saVFe4fo=/0x0:2048x1149/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oz6zhrPcFFti4gz3-4GUtb23zXQ=/0x0:2048x1149/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_-2O5bPitLiWC6vnH4HQrosBemg=/0x0:2048x1149/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YyCgdPpxOkIYy3o2kgXnQWyxkbY=/0x0:2048x1149/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IxOnDV7bP1gatHwV3oiULZ4SjTw=/0x0:2048x1149/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="A young Indian man sits closely looking at a bird, who is standing on his desk, looking back at him." data-upload-width="2048" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/APdtOZgQhE6lWnBxVCPQPOvjx6o=/0x0:2048x1149/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gKymuiyIWEyGyEMSMI1IZ6_eb_I=/0x0:2048x1149/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5q3BTKUH9xql-17EqIeJyR3sja4=/0x0:2048x1149/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zO9Ot-9Oayv6dPu746A0k0pygN4=/0x0:2048x1149/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rgThLPErc6PlVrcYrXA5r6yaPek=/0x0:2048x1149/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Bv56p8YstIRbYFa23VPlGFMCpEs=/0x0:2048x1149/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/aKuuIpmgUa1WVGB0xBk25JzvuP4=/0x0:2048x1149/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/r0pj39G5Kzu2lBFJS_EqAVFh2C0=/0x0:2048x1149/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cR22gICmNXYtEh9KzWQqz2RPR0E=/0x0:2048x1149/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JstYzoVm9OxhKuJvvz7Y1V3HVWo=/0x0:2048x1149/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1149):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208435/allthatbreathes_kiterabbit_films.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>A still from All That Breathes.</figcaption>
<cite>Kiterabbit Films/Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
Delhi’s rapidly worsening air quality and religious violence form the backdrop for All that Breathes, Shaunak Sen’s lyrical portrait of two men who work to save injured and sick birds in the city. Their quest to find resources for their perpetually underfunded operation winds together with meditations on the nature of the birds, particularly kites, birds of prey that have been forced to adapt to the changing city. “Delhi is a gaping wound, and we’re a Band-Aid on it,” one of them says. Their work stands as a metaphor for the huge task that bringing healing to the city’s human residents might be, too. After all, we all breathe the same air.
How to watch it: All That Breathes is awaiting distribution.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_3417_209759" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208436,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NbzgrFXkUEj8RzEcemAc2i2m6dw=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vl9wvx1cVfSZzX88hbKrmr_fci4=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EQL6qWsvUhhBMWMW749Mb55OT7o=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CZSsiMHAqTrFnVWl_sQSS0MuKPU=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/z6BolJU3dK4dGIZL2dXuUA0yemw=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qbePRvyydljlY2XHtlogAP_JMBk=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ifhrH7vURSUA00A7VnW4nXqieyk=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/sgEw6wQUBCea4BnzeMW9ubGXaBI=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bUXKz741sV_7h5-fq8v4Y3A26qM=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="Against a blue sky and blue water, a Black man stands with his back to us, looking out at the water." data-upload-width="2048" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/s_Tq08O8GqdsZcj2CmBYSvCKY-E=/0x0:2048x1152/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DBvcA2FE2PV7_lQ0ZpzR1c23_So=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gZ0YGSbOwhDreo1J6hVJHU8bwq4=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fxaQfL5OaSKse6UC7c6PodgJAR0=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zSh0SFnChqMULhYyyrfo2lEZJhQ=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eHkYIo5_pcDaodeyBnPj35lwJWA=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/f9vqHG8Jyc5Ae3bzUv97cFmiHmU=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fw8aVJfepYjWIjVww6sKlle6H6M=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UN9EwIcX0vQxOKYFWNkyHjbV_ck=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7RNFrsrTZR3QsH8MnSj5r9Xn5Lw=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208436/descendant_participant.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>A still from Descendant.</figcaption>
<cite>Participant/Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
One of the festival’s most blistering and brilliant documentaries, Descendant tracks the attempt to find and surface the Clotilda, the last ship carrying enslaved people to arrive in the United States, long after the slave trade (but not slavery itself) was made illegal. Director Margaret Brown weaves together the stories of the descendants of those who arrived on the Clotilda with the history of the region, and of the powerful family that’s tried to bury and deny its story for so long. It’s an engrossing, often thrilling story with implications that echo across America today.
How to watch it: Descendant was acquired by Netflix and is awaiting a release date.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_3516_209760" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208438,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nFAH9OS42rmzvVAatnVjHqmQ4tw=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wK8pirJgbL0z_V0m8w5MVG6vn7E=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HAi_N7qwWdBTyGzrLrZiDUY5RPw=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PvDtVXZeE3mcekdjaMouozy63Ec=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QjVxAs7blnjIqHNsk1eUr-yMleE=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/R5FDseASTt_kFX6YdlSk2Q1_8Xg=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6fwwlzraiINf6N5sjIcWPaGJglA=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/M828BSIPE7w5AcgSa-iX_Xj-ZKA=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VYBOOVqullkuJrAJo6mURDQ1OrY=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="A group of people stand holding photos of their loved ones, who were killed in plane crashes." data-upload-width="2048" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hjnC6zuQ0XMYYGSOrRM5Uycdt_A=/0x0:2048x1152/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vZEH_K254fONeQuTqIqFXbhISX8=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9D8JkgitMVF0UmoKb00dTGVEiGc=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/X4TVwkadF46h5-Nze58meHA0vOE=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OBoJrrfbL1uftogIEA_bQPPOGyI=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/T8h3Fz7-jZZN869kKnmDAfBAMWk=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FdOD0ivKxHr36VpbmPhYshxAQzg=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/w7hXct2HUYw56xChbm6Bbp_A0mU=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2uCxagc69IQHP3NIQpWAeqEQclI=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HQTEeE-dFePm9hHW85_hNVzRDVQ=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208438/downfall.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>A still from Downfall: The Case Against Boeing.</figcaption>
<cite>Netflix/Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
Rory Kennedy’s enraging documentary traces the events that led to two crashes of the Boeing 737 Max planes and the deaths of hundreds of people. Boeing’s slide from a well-respected company built on trust and attention to detail to a company that hid the truth to satisfy the demands of profit is familiar, but terrifying nonetheless. And Downfall: The Case Against Boeing is an exceptionally strong expose, one with a clear thesis, a powerful, direct argument to make, and implications that extend far beyond just Boeing.
How to watch it: Downfall: The Case Against Boeing will premiere on Netflix on February 18.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_4878_209761" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208439,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dO47IYH5QwLmx78cawTcD1AutIw=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rqR-mEinI7HwAs0ZG3Zwdcnvkvo=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OeEu_S0U6eSohVU7epgGC2h85V0=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UujoPVUGTpryTIO8k-L8iTq-mb4=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/m9FBI8TEE5_prHMSTjidtsCI5E0=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/AZ15OTlkLxNxKweRhzUx-fZongU=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cJ7scZRr-3hsbn6Go-UvG1Drdq8=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DGizryUn9c2k1LsvAM5nDYmiStY=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GiE0KBjkEIpcaLUZxRf3-4Pt4wI=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="Two figures in volcanologist suits stand in front of a pale yellowish-brown sky spotted with lava bursts." data-upload-width="2048" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bkY01XGmGLjJxe_M2tgLWDHMipY=/0x0:2048x1152/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VYvuCRPTj47BCx6Ghz5vY8pQV5g=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eV26_qpiQI71vlHsmg60WPeaf8s=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FcffLdpX6TfM7EHLjrjH8nyBfxE=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/I7o-BaT1RfTGCkTeuno2ZuJChpY=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PJQEbX1gJM-yIuW7XIyyO2jmaxM=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/D0Cm1MjltuKGp9nNx7ubO0MifV0=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qGCrAdrZQi9DQr0VlkhY34KhFQU=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pgoJm8neMrH9_1Cihik3dNtbbSo=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OghEJZJDlbDSBVYA_BHoZjZB8GI=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208439/fireoflove.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>A still from Fire of Love.</figcaption>
<cite>Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
Fire of Love, the tale of married volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, was one of the festival’s breakout hits. When you see it, you’ll know why. Narrated by Miranda July and directed by Sara Dosa, Fire of Love is a tale of romance, both between Katia and Maurice and between the Kraffts and volcanoes. It’s no spoiler to say the couple perished in a volcanic explosion in 1991 (the film tells us this from the start), which means the whole tale is overlaid with bittersweet retrospection. But their passion for volcanoes, and the way they thought it might translate into helping mankind, helps us see who they really were, and the result, built largely from archival footage, is breathtaking. (Plus, lots of eye-popping lava shots!)
How to watch it: Fire of Love was acquired by National Geographic Documentary Films and will be theatrically released later this year.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_9122_209762" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208441,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zoPyakYWALxsTbn_2jBFVRKF53w=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/MW9Bbk_DF-tX0xGzVq-2mnFqGck=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GPJZUMuyqiY1VlVs3ljX4l2fQ4Q=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZUjs5MzuMBe-Ddmut3JHf38r4MQ=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kWNOEAxKL0PVbK9IFEq8aEQWYh8=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/V_kCI27KUQiNwTjxmtweW90s5Rg=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ckY16b7-UqQiUz5wCjpJLfdAI9k=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7VGqkhUZQxPdHGXWFy9m9zAKRAI=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/S2_l0jjYcyx4OkwBAW_I72P1GfA=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="A black-and-white archival photo of a crowd of media and attorneys surrounding a Korean man." data-upload-width="2048" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/uDk-mbRnA5dhorTxYJOfuPq467M=/0x0:2048x1152/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1e3nqnUwdbYZQOcVQcTYTqvdD38=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7uBgdNqZV92HeF6UcmjJ1uEMVQs=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/n6Q3nappCPvC7swRHaI44IVNdwE=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jyOBQC6r964Yw8H63d6FBNohRrc=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UpAthk8-GpAhTmdb0l-Q8UxuncY=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OYcZucGZwTl6wQzQWwCNeJtc-Us=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/j977TGH5J_RjL6P0MOlXrjs0kzk=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mtPrjkkW9AZts___CAnqGJbo9fQ=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gqa_pGW2-Zj-rMzrD4p3UbdWQhM=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208441/freecholsoolee_grant_din.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>A still from Free Chol Soo Lee.</figcaption>
<cite>Grant Din/Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
In 1973, a Korean immigrant named Chol Soo Lee was accused of a murder in San Francisco — a murder he didn’t commit. While he was imprisoned, a “Free Chol Soo Lee” movement sprung up across the country, propelled by people who saw his situation as about not just him, but about the status of people of Asian descent in America. Free Chol Soo Lee, directed by Eugene Yi and Julie Ha, tells his story both during the movement and after, pointing out the ways that both going to prison and becoming an unlikely icon affected Lee’s life when the hubbub faded.
How to watch it: Free Chol Soo Lee was acquired by Mubi and is awaiting a release date.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_6795_209763" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208442,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QDDXiJA6sVLjA9jYdMegC-oCF1k=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dCfgITGBANHNtuB1b3lGHVw3LFU=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zXzoHqse9Iwgu2o326TGBMK83UA=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KfkHr7_u_0WoNszNrFwe5obKsLs=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ngln1mGIToqfpoFJvvhV8xERE_I=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/WRFbGQgwtJ8l4I3ulLYF1r4eO7Y=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/baUQIZajJCwRCLXVUqDBki2Cw7M=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bcjUshXV0Z35VBvd_bDT-CXpxY8=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/95KNQfrwlJMNvg7_tJx61aBcXQM=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="A low-to-the-ground angle shows the torso and legs of a person walking across the street on a crosswalk, and the silhouette shadow of a person in a wheelchair." data-upload-width="2048" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hcEZr6KSnI3362bkt8SwrT-NA4c=/0x0:2048x1152/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mtfYzV6m6rX5ryNeuWFusy42zWI=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JqGIx1U2ZLGupIBXXv0T1AdtuPA=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0pCezCCCz6JPhXf6MgGav-D2Zfo=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/u3Q7hr1xD7Q5kBKvnGYcKSHlTQA=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EhChzSgwvAn9hUiriC_7dYvccyY=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/F9lZWY4mP9RzZt_ugMe0FP5C-R0=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XPscJGfQpbWBrPu_rmXuOGIW53c=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bcNHiGcNjy765Rxsh4yF5WEE-Hg=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bHUlNgKe5oZMalz7_FH5uFhsang=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208442/ididntseeyouthere_reid_davenport.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>A still from I Didn’t See You There.</figcaption>
<cite>Reid Davenport/Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
Filmmaker Reid Davenport employs a first-person point of view for his documentary I Didn’t See You There, in which he lets us see the world through his own eyes. Davenport is disabled and often uses a wheelchair to get around Oakland, where he lives and makes films. He narrates the film, a sometimes funny and sometimes furious window into the casual inconveniences and less casual indignities he runs into in a world not built for him, and reflects on the legacy of figures like P.T. Barnum who turned disabilities into something to be both stared at and ignored. It’s a must-see.
How to watch it: I Didn’t See You There is awaiting distribution.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_9319_209764" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208443,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/345EDmBzzcAoVi2mBnDgxdKjhYY=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XpCAqaRtGb88dZOOmfFvd8QCHi8=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Hl6dRf4h7_jZPkr5j2BJx4RHfUg=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/td3OMqWI65DTKpSPAa4HcZ9KC8A=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KfXE-X0lxwc2sfTGhPDonuMNoVU=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YRXACf--QJIxz5gVqZUInhjpbV4=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/F-P7wMm_NW2N9yqJ3Q3NWSBgL2A=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/J2n2_IenNMQclAlam9kNBu-ZR4c=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mdgZfckL7ysU6eDDKlS6X7IUVAA=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="A white man with grey hair and thin spectacles sits at a desk in a science classroom." data-upload-width="2048" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tSzqgUO5DrprkD2r7SJQzFbr278=/0x0:2048x1152/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BGQhRef3qLgQaV5ESaUz1_oCZlU=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IUCA7SlA49GfE0n33637JQ7PF8s=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/f3XnOvXNcgEHBZkc7iBd3gFLgOI=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ySCiyiP93Azns0Eb5d8td8l24Yc=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Nl5eFG8twtCYZwqU7aIG2eJpoyE=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cQOrPtD8n7Kn17YDatcByU_CIPU=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vjtrYj6a9KECx6oJzVRZYIAhoRo=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QWjSqdmGmaw4j48O7ZBU7zORHko=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Jvn-f8vvNFguIUqcVDaUBmsALK0=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208443/myoldschool_tommy_ga_ken_wan.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>Alan Cumming in My Old School.</figcaption>
<cite>Tommy Ga-Ken Wan/Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
Just a flat-out fun documentary (and thus a rather rare breed), My Old School is a tale of a very weird event at a Scottish school in the 1990s. Former students are interviewed by director Jono McLeod — who also went to the school — about their memories of one unusual schoolmate. (He was also interviewed for the film, but refused to be shown on camera, so actor Alan Cumming lip-synchs to the audio.) Watching My Old School is like listening to a bunch of friends tell you about the wildest memory they share, and with flashbacks rendered in animation that recalls ’90s shows like Daria, it’s a romp of a period piece, too.
How to watch it: My Old School is awaiting distribution.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_617_209765" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208444,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DzGr6ycOEC9RguSwEMvtz6KgqL4=/0x0:1280x952/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/c6qOEn-OHWcrPz_rg-XikqEIJPw=/0x0:1280x952/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/p1LiHMVy0z9tm0RtbIm20faTae8=/0x0:1280x952/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5EIST_dDSyAny-4UJMaMQXYwwjY=/0x0:1280x952/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pZTilwxmDtE6QtO2zdFMmoZ-NSU=/0x0:1280x952/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6sKTOwNCaNoNC8o1VEt3uFvXwSY=/0x0:1280x952/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qZSvubz8j0HyKZhPfWyBqV89oB8=/0x0:1280x952/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mqBxzCRiQjF37lDIslbN5759uJ0=/0x0:1280x952/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iKXslLbGTvBY4OzpfT0miohIQYo=/0x0:1280x952/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="An archival photo of a crowd of military men pretending to be protestors, with a tank looming over them. They hold signs that say things like “We Want Action” and “Help Help.”" data-upload-width="1280" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ubJ0KuE630Plh07rODBwWF9nZuc=/0x0:1280x952/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Jk2Ub4fC6HsBD2xpzCLQuoEVXAo=/0x0:1280x952/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/whRpElmEr-_OAWeO-chun24xGCg=/0x0:1280x952/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vC20AVHJROti0fLoap_wshio3gQ=/0x0:1280x952/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-eoH5Dj-VS62wfVE8mjRMwp3ESs=/0x0:1280x952/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rsKndi33lBBwcGqRA2hfjv0GOtw=/0x0:1280x952/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eyvLz1JvgJmoYvAM3N1K74IW_tY=/0x0:1280x952/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/B034jqtdED77dnzitOVl_cu2hHY=/0x0:1280x952/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Gm4XeUP-wtL0DAiWZQYIkIvZD8g=/0x0:1280x952/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9XkJA_o5O-XxPr4zXFHvGX4xwBA=/0x0:1280x952/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:1280x952):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208444/riotsvilleusa_national_archives_and_records_administration.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>A still from Riotsville, U.S.A.</figcaption>
<cite>National Archives and Records Administration/Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
Did you know — I certainly didn’t — that in 1968, following a summer of unrest across the nation, the US military set up two model “towns,” called Riotsvilles? There military personnel and police forces from across the US could learn how to quell “civil disorders.” Director Sierra Pettingill draws on archival footage shot by the military to tell the story of the Riotsvilles and of the bigger attempt to keep citizens (and, some claimed, “outside agitators”) from protesting. Constructed like an essay, Riotsville, USA asks what we make of this footage today, “embedded as we are in the future they were meant to ensure,” and traces a damning path to today’s militarization of the police and rhetoric that still echoes in the halls of power.
How to watch it: Riotsville, USA is awaiting distribution.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_5818_209766" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208445,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BAoFDVH0fEaqcljMRsB-Xl76ddk=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zGK_A8NH9D-t46zyaHe2KbvWroo=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Yxr1q-11d7ARLR-QKMs6GPxreXU=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PfXcoYF0VlBdttZvLKICSB03pfs=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wErceQn0Tw2nKgJdXQD4UY2oxV8=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nDOFbld-yMl4-J8HjeiKOLD3AE4=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TK230l_moutuwP-PCEBiuPK--G4=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/y3MJFdFJYgjl-vUg90nOxmYIADA=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bZZ3CeqOXWojv-57HZPh4SuaWS0=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="Two young women holding metal guitars and wearing leather outfits play their instruments in a field of tall grass." data-upload-width="2048" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TrLZijV8mlbAD8CHXhZkEr2LSL4=/0x0:2048x1152/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/AXnveN7rJqn_9ugFTE1e7hPWfnM=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QkH3vBH8Aawn0rEqNdUX8MLE-UA=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CokLf0xsUFKC0PsLpQ2VZA2I3jI=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-moZqa-i_kybwGxnWQYZxms2dkw=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OWX1u-4zNLHZq_HVTzMZ5siEGuE=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ALhnN5k3M__pQ1IWSBLwpao9LHA=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kKVsH8uQkLzEw0bY-wwX9tLw9yU=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6i7mrWeKgbLRGt0uffvB_LQTrIs=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FQm73OaDXqdTyMR_GFOhr4bl_TI=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208445/sirens_rita_baghdadi.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>A still from Sirens.</figcaption>
<cite>Rita Baghdadi/Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
Sirens is about the only all-female metal band in Lebanon, but it’s about a lot more than that. Rita Baghdadi centers her story — which is so rhythmic and well-edited that you could mistake it for a carefully plotted scripted film — on the relationship between the band’s co-founders, Lilas and Sherry, and the ways their relationship echoes challenges they’re living through. Unrest in Beirut, family tensions, and the physical danger that queer women like themselves face in their country make for a tumultuous life, and they rely on one another and on the issues they address in their music to maintain hope for a better future.
How to watch it: Sirens is awaiting distribution.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_7484_209767" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208446,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TsjMtZWrcy_2twFlBr_ASYtwnus=/0x0:2048x1334/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Zan7QEjQy_NYYNskwGQ_UnFQROk=/0x0:2048x1334/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8-eyxNd9VBI_hN6bunqy7bMuhi0=/0x0:2048x1334/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6HWxQJAEWQKYzlEWUi4GWoHtTlQ=/0x0:2048x1334/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/D4NxguZF4Hbmf6x_kkGOByJNi-U=/0x0:2048x1334/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NeZ-USiw4lIdSuNlkQ2WVCA6atU=/0x0:2048x1334/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/K3TWZlInAXHOfiCj6gQVtR5UW5w=/0x0:2048x1334/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zieR8P8bEEQOdTZQsPd1wMhimnI=/0x0:2048x1334/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0MQ_ea1rDpdhSR0zMDDTcsklQSQ=/0x0:2048x1334/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="A bearded Israeli man wears headphones. A pile of cassette tapes and an old-looking radio are in the foreground. In the background you can see a map of Israel." data-upload-width="2048" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HXtQZVNe7x-KrhTpKfxXGOEmbBk=/0x0:2048x1334/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dBtW_9Bi5WHgfsei2P9VxfGcAnc=/0x0:2048x1334/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GlDPcgEThEDvw2v_JjLfA5Z34hM=/0x0:2048x1334/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/50pKeY9Wowh4ch0aNXTXLoh1Bug=/0x0:2048x1334/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1zb4IvlqTW5ByvMlq6pwBBJkqPQ=/0x0:2048x1334/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Bnk6dIhERv9nOVBoJLuprcz5ocU=/0x0:2048x1334/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/WWMcWTYmzSZ3AvLAo9OncprARdk=/0x0:2048x1334/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OlAwdthwIgF0Up45YhdWKKFoCLA=/0x0:2048x1334/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gyZoM5fWCXWHvbHeWELYQzf7w6o=/0x0:2048x1334/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ai7JyZtVOTRA-zh7Fkjmd85msos=/0x0:2048x1334/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1334):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208446/tantura_yonathan_weitzman.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>Teddy Katz in Tantura.</figcaption>
<cite>Yonathan Weitzman/Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
The nature of self-mythologizing on a national scale rises to the top in Tantura, which centers on the now-elderly members of an Israeli Defense Force brigade and an event that some of them claim never happened in 1948. During the Arab-Israel war, the Palestinian village of Tantura was razed, and many of its inhabitants were killed, but Israel’s official position has long been that it was not a massacre. Instead, casualties were all framed as casualties of war. Alon Schwarz, with exacting care and often shocking interviews, excavates what really happened in Tantura through the eyes of people who were there and who live nearby now. The film digs into what often stands between societies and the pursuit of truth.
How to watch it: Tantura is awaiting distribution.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_1139_209768" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208447,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tuNPcPfXrbt6Zwjlj6nmuRWoqEQ=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/J7XJ9JlRMAAc8C8YPNUg1EcS9RI=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EAuZtx_YGufANPjds1rwNewT00M=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8q0BEWjKYRDv_wiAyuM1DnsgvJA=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7WGJkSJSqNiIk9zBwGRSy6dssQQ=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/h4U9Onx19m9p1toBamaTNLUC2tc=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/csNtUBFb6brVzYo273meDCnFwPY=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/E5vWTMTzNaZQ9PbxGfMO8ResgpY=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gyJegALyKEZZ7hjnS9DXvkxAR68=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="A Brazilian woman is swimming, and has slicked back her hair and has her eyes closed." data-upload-width="2048" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9S74t4whDU9QV8poWpJPC0iMqDw=/0x0:2048x1152/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/SjYtWul71uKSo28CgiKPgXHJhz4=/0x0:2048x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eAZoCwgrdzwzgeESDfyFQhLsvUY=/0x0:2048x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fuTfImQsB02dPfsCIIan7hm-BL8=/0x0:2048x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dKZ7FdfBSXgXfukaBPnfUjGEALE=/0x0:2048x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZXNh9yvMo_EbbuzprtPrxpZ-rD4=/0x0:2048x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rict5JahUrd1RkzaOtuTLpZe0mE=/0x0:2048x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/InRRJ1AO7Gj540erp0-tIXg7wUA=/0x0:2048x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/X3pMueMBSNwGOeI9DCFqj5BfwI4=/0x0:2048x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EXvJ0Z3HW4MR67XMQtSfq8rt_T4=/0x0:2048x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208447/theterritory.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>A still from The Territory.</figcaption>
<cite>Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
The Indigenous Uru-eu-wau-wau people live in the Amazon rainforest, and over decades have watched their territory become an island surrounded by farms and settlers that only decimate the landscape. After President Bolsonaro’s election and thanks to his rhetoric, some people felt emboldened enough to invade and survey Uru-eu-wau-wau land, planning to cut down its trees and settle. Alex Pritz’s documentary, co-produced by the Uru-eu-wau-wau, follows the people through several years of struggling to get the Brazilian government to take action, and to convince the world that they’re being invaded. It’s a beautiful film, and certainly an enraging one.
How to watch it: The Territory was acquired by National Geographic Documentary Films and is awaiting a release date.
<figure class="e-image"><picture class="c-picture" data-cid="site/picture_element-1644019666_9869_209769" data-cdata='{"asset_id":23208448,"ratio":"*"}'><source srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/O5lIB-aLb-wNBF24hPWzgTVg1b0=/0x0:2047x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/s8A3GqEfgqz6Mpn1h6bsK2DNzxA=/0x0:2047x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3AguDZbebN52pUqY5Nk5aS6YcPU=/0x0:2047x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ftv9Q5u2WAvkgL8DNnZCHTWjQ4E=/0x0:2047x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/11Fqq08ZHa14ECkgYmS_qsTM3eg=/0x0:2047x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KAReUF9Iqr8l8Ct5ti_hHw4YoUI=/0x0:2047x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dd0Suq_vvkx9tuBK9gj-RPSwpXA=/0x0:2047x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-MzHMcbsmjaohB3462KOy3_rd9I=/0x0:2047x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zrX9HHBT0zF7tr3a8poX9wUZqXs=/0x0:2047x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" type="image/webp" /> <img alt="An image of two anime-style figures watching lanterns float into the sky in a virtual reality environment." data-upload-width="2047" sizes="(min-width: 1221px) 846px, (min-width: 880px) calc(100vw - 334px), 100vw" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zKuzkiSK2TeErs9lY84fY94_oM0=/0x0:2047x1152/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg" srcset="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3glnXxU1ambq_7ivbdfdqWE7NbQ=/0x0:2047x1152/320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JMyhG5s3ULMbsS2c0vlyNcc8sqo=/0x0:2047x1152/520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ydBsUJyj4uVwtC9WGAIUtW7ugHE=/0x0:2047x1152/720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kWvoj8ARbwHqMA2ek8jkXY4DMZ4=/0x0:2047x1152/920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 920w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fGINHAhY1q6QqB_iPYvSDeo7yMA=/0x0:2047x1152/1120x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 1120w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-MUlirSnzj1aQRHlQkn6kQOW3pg=/0x0:2047x1152/1320x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/WkrnLssWLKaJniRY2FnqHnlgXg0=/0x0:2047x1152/1520x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 1520w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/P1siVgKOcCrIaR7Md-OuL3tvTjA=/0x0:2047x1152/1720x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 1720w, https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Pbp7UWBP4zV9VCQJGU_uAF-_tZA=/0x0:2047x1152/1920x0/filters:focal(0x0:2047x1152):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23208448/wemetinvr_joe_hunting.jpg 1920w" /></picture>
<figcaption>A still from We Met in Virtual Reality.</figcaption>
<cite>Joe Hunting/Sundance Institute</cite></figure>
We Met in Virtual Reality was my surprise favorite documentary of the festival. Joe Hunting’s extraordinary film was entirely filmed on the social VR platform <a href="https://hello.vrchat.com/">VRChat</a>, where he spent time with and interviewed several subjects, from a dance teacher to a sign language instructor to a couple who fell in love on the platform. I confess that I expected the movie to be gimmicky, but I was totally wrong. Instead, it’s a meditation on connection and finding a community where you belong, featuring subjects who’d found genuine friendships and relationships in VRChat that extended into the physical world. Hunting shot it in-world with a camera developed on the platform, and it looks marvelous. You may also find yourself wiping away a tear or two.
How to watch it: We Met in Virtual Reality is awaiting acquisition.
 
 
source <a href="https://www.vox.com/22911301/best-documentaries-sundance-2022-streaming">https://www.vox.com/22911301/best-documentaries-sundance-2022-streaming</a>

vox From a volcano love story to an all-girl metal band, 15 documentaries you can’t miss

Just look at any streaming service’s offerings: Nonfiction cinema (or just “documentaries,” if you prefer) is in its heyday. Filmmakers are ...

One Good Thing: Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey is funny, just like love

<div><img class="ff-og-image-inserted" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/sErbkf7Jx3ClXRgPY8YTbCdnMaU=/0x363:4912x2935/fit-in/1200x630/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23201793/GettyImages_1349172414.jpg" /></div>
Northanger Abbey is seemingly <a href="https://blog.oup.com/2018/12/jane-austen-fan-types/">no one’s</a> favorite Jane Austen novel. It’s not Pride and Prejudice, which needs no introduction; it doesn’t have numerous beloved adaptations, like Emma; and it’s not her most <a href="https://theconversation.com/persuasion-jane-austens-greatest-novel-turns-200-84174">mature and serious</a> work, Persuasion, which the internet assures me should be the favorite of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/17/jane-austen-teenagers-heroines-novels-persuasion">real adults</a>. Northanger Abbey’s superlative, per Vox’s Constance Grady, is Jane Austen’s <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/7/18/15974172/jane-austen-superlatives">funniest novel</a>. And I agree. That’s why it’s my favorite.
Northanger Abbey’s main character is Catherine Moreland, a 17-year-old who reads a lot of novels and fancies herself a heroine. When she goes to stay in Bath, she meets the Tilney and Thorpe siblings, hijinks ensue, and she ends up falling in love with the dashing Henry Tilney, and goes to stay with him and his sister in their family’s austere manor. Having internalized too many novel plots, Catherine surmises she’s walked into a real-life murder mystery, and keeps finding clues that Henry’s father murdered his mother.
These assumptions understandably offend Henry. Being an Austen romance, however, interpersonal and family conflict is resolved and the characters end up in the “perfect happiness” of marriage.
I was around 17 when I first read the book; I too read a lot of novels and fancied myself a heroine. Perhaps less has changed since then than I’d like to admit. I still sometimes have the tendency to imagine myself as Elizabeth Bennett walking around the muddy countryside, or Frederick Wentworth, returning from a long journey abroad, love letter in hand.
But not to digress. What I most loved about this novel at 17, and now, is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Austen has her tongue firmly in her cheek from the first chapter:
<blockquote>
[Catherine’s] greatest deficiency was in the pencil—she had no notion of drawing—not enough even to attempt a sketch of her lover’s profile, that she might be detected in the design. There she fell miserably short of the true heroic height. At present she did not know her own poverty, for she had no lover to portray. She had reached the age of seventeen, without having seen one amiable youth who could call forth her sensibility, without having inspired one real passion, and without having excited even any admiration but what was very moderate and very transient. This was strange indeed!
</blockquote>
When I was planning this piece, I read about the <a href="https://jasna.org/publications-2/essay-contest-winning-entries/2019-essay-contest/skopic/">Gothic Novel themes</a> of Northanger Abbey that had passed me by as a teenager. While it undoubtedly provides a deeper perspective, you don’t need to know the context to enjoy the book. I am struck by how funny Austen is, how humor is a deeply accessible and human thing that can transcend centuries and cultures. John Thorpe’s obsession with carriages and the refusal to slow down wouldn’t be out of place in 21st-century America, except with cars. Upon Henry and Catherine’s first meeting, they are immediately bantering and laughing.
<blockquote>
“And are you altogether pleased with Bath?”
“Yes—I like it very well.”
“Now I must give one smirk, and then we may be rational again.” Catherine turned away her head, not knowing whether she might venture to laugh. “I see what you think of me,” said he gravely—“I shall make but a poor figure in your journal tomorrow.”
“My journal!”
“Yes, I know exactly what you will say: Friday, went to the Lower Rooms; wore my sprigged muslin robe with blue trimmings—plain black shoes—appeared to much advantage; but was strangely harassed by a queer, half-witted man, who would make me dance with him, and distressed me by his nonsense.”
“Indeed I shall say no such thing.”
</blockquote>
The following discussion, touching on the <a href="https://ew.com/books/2017/12/17/northanger-abbey-henry-tilney-jane-austen-best-leading-man/">equality of women</a> and Henry buying dresses for his sister, is perhaps my top Austen hero moment, because a) it is funny — Henry is funny — and b) romance is great and all, but with <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/01/25/for-american-couples-gender-gaps-in-sharing-household-responsibilities-persist-amid-pandemic/">gender household labor gaps</a> still stark 200 years later, aren’t all women-looking-for-men searching for someone who contributes equally to the household?
Humor is important to romance. One of the first things my mom wants to know about my dating prospects is about their sense of humor. I’ve never been quite sure this is the No. 1 quality I’m looking for, but far be it from me to argue with my parents’ wonderful 30-year-marriage, in which they contribute equally to housework and laugh together every day.
It’s Catherine’s realization that she needs to take herself less seriously that leads to her happy ending. There’s a lesson here for those of us — like my teenage self who sometimes slips her way into my now — with the tendency to see ourselves as the main character of a story, going through life with little thought about the effects on others.
As Catherine comes of age, she has to learn that she’s not living in a novel — though, paradoxically, she is — and is not the heroine she thought she was; and in fact, her misconceptions are driving her actions to hurt a person she loves. When she realizes this, she opens herself to the possibility of other paths, and finds that she is a heroine in a way she couldn’t have planned or expected.
While the book recognizes the limitations of novels for life-planning, it’s also a celebration of them, decrying the sexism from which critique of novels stems. Austen’s rejoinder to critics of young ladies who read novels is just as relevant as a rejoinder to those who critique my love of romance novels today:
<blockquote>
It is only Cecilia, or Camilla, or Belinda; or, in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour, are conveyed to the world in the best-chosen language.
</blockquote>
It is Catherine and Henry’s mutual love of novels, along with their shared wit and humor, that makes them a good match.
I’m not an Austen heroine, <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/44212/the-love-song-of-j-alfred-prufrock">nor was I meant to be</a>. But we’re all Catherine to some extent: as we mature, learning to act with more compassion for the feelings of others, realizing we’re not the main characters, and finally, unabashedly experiencing the joys of conversations and novels and affection, coming to not take life too seriously.
I love Jane Austen; give me your heartfelt love confessions, <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/2/14/14598536/persuasion-jane-austen-most-romantic-love-scene-letter-valentines-day">agony and hope</a>, sense and sensibility. But what I’ve always loved most about her is her humor. Life, and love, are better when you’re laughing.
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen is available <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=66960X1516588&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fnorthanger-abbey-9780141439792%2F9781537256474%3Faid%3D132&xcust=VoxJaneAusten020122" has-subtag="true" data-cdata='{"rewritten_url":"https://go.skimresources.com?id=66960X1516588\u0026xs=1\u0026url=https://bookshop.org/books/northanger-abbey-9780141439792/9781537256474?aid=132\u0026xcust=___vx__p_22668516__m_m-placeholder__s_s-placeholder__t_w__c_c-placeholder__r_r-placeholder__d_d-placeholder","subtag_max_length":50,"subtag_delim_length":3,"subtag_key":"xcust","subtag_data":{"id":"66960X1516588","xs":"1","url":"https://bookshop.org/books/northanger-abbey-9780141439792/9781537256474?aid=132","xcust":"___vx__p_22668516__m_m-placeholder__s_s-placeholder__t_w__c_c-placeholder__r_r-placeholder__d_d-placeholder"},"encode_subtag":false}'>everywhere books are sold</a>. For more recommendations from the world of culture, check out the <a href="https://www.vox.com/one-good-thing">One Good Thing</a> archives.
 
 
source <a href="https://www.vox.com/22904475/northanger-abbey-jane-austen-romance">https://www.vox.com/22904475/northanger-abbey-jane-austen-romance</a>

vox One Good Thing: Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey is funny, just like love

Northanger Abbey is seemingly no one’s favorite Jane Austen novel. It’s not Pride and Prejudice , which needs no introduction; it doesn’t ...