Week 10: Sheep Rushes by Lucien Castaing-Taylor

Sheep Rushes (2001-2005) by Lucien Castaing-Taylor

I think we can take many different approaches to our discussion this week:

Discussing the readings in relation to the work.

Discuss the line between anthropology and documentary work, where do we draw this line? Is this piece a anthropological document or a documentary film? Or both?

We could talk about Taylor's approach compared to Luis Bunuel's Land without Bread.


Also, feel free to discuss Philippe Grandrieux's Un Lac (2008) that we saw at the HFA. Now that we all have seen the beginning and have had some time to "live with" the film, I'd love to hear what you all have to say about it

I'll post some more questions / prompts if things don't get rolling here soon. 

Tangent: CIRCUMSTANCES

Just found an article about this movie, haven't seen it yet, I think her comment on the process of scripting the film is relevant to the on-going conversation regarding "truth" and "truth-telling"

having limited knowledge of her intention with the film, would you consider this a documentary?

"Keshavarz told Reuters that the scarcity of coverage on the topic inspired her, saying, "I've seen very few films that address women's sexuality -- in Iran, in the Muslim world, at all. As much as some people are upset about the film, there are other people who are like, 'Finally! Something that's us!'

In a Wall Street Journal interview, Keshavarz explained her reaction to criticism of the film: “It’s usually Iranian men in their 50s and 60s. Often, the questions are framed in terms of authenticity. Like I don’t have the right to speak because I don’t live in Iran. But I’ve always been very upfront that I go back and forth, and I have a different perspective than a filmmaker from Iran would. But I also have a difference perspective than an American filmmaker would. And because I go back and forth, I see change in a different light.”

Early versions of Circumstance were not so forthright on the intimate nature of the relationship between its two leads, Keshavarz notes: “everything was implied; nothing was shown." But as she continued to refine her vision at the Sundance Writers she realized that honest portrayal of her subject was essential: “as I started writing more truthfully and the characters became more real as opposed to symbols, I really started to strip away my self-censorship, and I realized that if I was going to make the film, I had to make it as truthfully as possible, and once I got that in the script, I would never be able to return to Iran.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/25/new-film-circumstances-ex_n_936891.html

Tangent: LIVE DOCUMENTARY "THE LOVE SONG OF R. BUCKMINSTER FULLER"

Alex and I caught a presentation of it at the ICA a few weeks ago.
1. who doesn't love Yo La Tengo
2. Fuller's a pretty fascinating character

Here's an article, and podcast, about the documentary:

http://radioboston.wbur.org/2012/10/19/buckminster-fuller-documentary


Green's pretty adamant about not recording the performance (which makes sense, it's a live "documentary") so I can't share any actual footage

but I hope this is entertaining for some of you.