Great movies we never get to see

Wednesday, 21 November 2007

By BARBARA WEIL

• Howick and Botany Times

OVER the weekend on CNN I witnessed a remarkable presentation that deserved a wide audience.

It took place in Australia and was the Asia Pacific Film Awards. And what stunning work is being done by people out of the mainstream of Hollywood, Britain and Europe.

There were excerpts from movies made on low budgets, under frequently dangerous conditions in countries that would have killed those involved without mercy.

There were films from nations that very few people know make movies. Some were about war - Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and many more.

There were romantic films about teenage love, about relationships, children, loss of loved ones – and comedies.

I could not help but wonder why these amazing movies are not being shown to more people. Of course we’re well aware that many people simply will not tolerate subtitles.

But it’s well worth that little bit of extra effort to find out what people in other parts of the world are doing well.

We’ve all been fed for far too long on Hollywood pap. Not all that emanates from the United States is rubbish, but unfortunately a huge percentage of Hollywood movies are made expressly for morons.

Many of us are becoming increasingly tired and annoyed by car chases, guns like cannons, “cute” kids, silly high school children (especially boys) and skinny young girls.

We can do without Nascar racing with Will what’s-his-name, Rocky Eight (we can’t be that unlucky), Fabulous Four, Spiderman and plenty more.

Before we wake up we will have been so dumbed down by all this that we’ll have no idea what makes a good, compelling or interesting film.

That’s why we should be demanding that film distributors make some kind of effort to try to allow us to see at least some of the really interesting movies being made in Asia Pacific.

For far too long we have been lead to believe that good films can only be made in what people may believe are the more “civilised” parts of the world.

Filmmakers in Third Word countries have their own stories to tell. They’ve some extremely fine actors and actresses who would knock the socks off some of the so-called “glamour” girls of the mainstream movie industry.

Both the male and female upcoming stars of the Asia Pacific film industry are not afraid of getting dirt on their faces, not having fancy clothes and not even a red carpet.

Their work needs to be seen and the sooner the better.