Doc Days 2019 Day 4: The final 3 films
The final day of a festival is always bittersweet. I’m sad that it’s over, but I’m ready to do something else for a couple days. Ten movies in four days is a lot. Who am I kidding? I’ll probably see another movie after work tomorrow.
City of Joel
Set in the town of Monroe, New York, City of Joel examines a culture clash as the rapidly populating Hasidic village of Kiryas Joel seeks to expand into the surrounding town filled with mostly white Christians. Of Monroe’s 50,000 citizens, approximately 22,000 are Hasidic Jews living in the 1.1 square mile village. Hasidic culture values large families, and the average couple in Kiryas Joel has eight children. This exponential reproduction has led to the construction of tightly packed multi-family housing and a serious density problem in the community.
People in surrounding Monroe enjoy their calm small town away from the frantic pace of New York City, and they’re not happy about the rapid expansion in Kiryas Joel, which enforces an effective voting block over its inhabitants. With nearly half the town’s registered voters acting in unison, Kiryas Joel controls local politics. Monroe residents express concern that the Hasidic community will elect leaders that will remove funding from civic services they don’t utilize, such as public schools.
In order to remedy the density issue, Kiryas Joel submits a petition to annex 507 acres of unpopulated Monroe land and construct additional housing. Many Monroe residents view this as an aggression against their way of life, and they react by forming a group called United Monroe that seeks to establish a competing voting block.
Director Jesse Sweet gives both sides a fair opportunity to explain their points of view. Viewers come away from the film understanding both arguments and feeling sympathetic to their concerns.
At the heart of the film is the question of what religious freedom means in America. We want people to practice their religion of choice freely, but what if those religious rights come at the expense of other citizens’ civil rights? If Kiryas Joel uses its political power to defund schools or other public services it doesn’t value, is that an overreach of religious freedom?
Kiryas Joel enforces strict modesty laws and does not allow its female residents to expose their elbows. Married women are not allowed to show their hair in public, and all public events are segregated by gender. Are these sexist policies justified on the grounds of religious freedom?
The dynamic in Monroe is a microcosm of the broader American culture wars. It brings to mind the infamous Hobby Lobby case and the national discussion about abortion and women’s rights. Although ironically, the white evangelicals in this story are not the radical religious group pushing regressive policies on the larger population. As the two sides attempt to understand each other and discuss a potential compromise, they only make matters worse and further alienate each other. Hate rises between the cultures with no end in sight, which is exactly what we’ve come to expect in this country.
City of Joel is scheduled to be released in fall 2019 by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Caballerango
Caballerango is a window into a small Mexican village in the aftermath of a rash of suicides among the local youth. Director Juan Pablo Gonzalez uses long static camera shots to create a beautifully mournful stillness as residents ponder the death infecting their community.
The film presents an honest portrayal of what it’s like to work through grief. The townspeople are shocked and depressed, but they have no option other than to return to the tedious tasks that fill their daily lives. Every conversation is held while wrangling horses or working the fields or making food, as the characters grapple with the loss of their relatives and friends. I’m sure this sounds like a depressing film, but its peaceful atmosphere and elegant landscapes complement the morbid subject matter well. I really enjoyed it.
Dark Suns
Dark Suns examines the epidemic of Mexican femicide stemming from the rise of violent drug cartels. As the film investigates the disappearance of young Mexican women, it uncovers larger plots between the government and cartels to kill journalists and abduct potentially useful citizens. Tens of thousands of peaceful Mexicans have disappeared since the 1990s as family members are left to ponder whether they’ve been killed or forced to work as slaves for the cartel.
There’s a lot going on in this movie. It’s not content to focus on one topic, and it seems determined to investigate all of Mexico’s violent problems. On one hand, this allows viewers to appreciate the massive scope of the violence affecting Mexican civilians and the incestuous relationship between the government and the cartels. On the other hand, this prevents the film from examining each issue as deeply as I would have liked. It’s basically three different mini documentaries about femicide, journalistic suppression, and cartel kidnappings all rolled into a single film. I think I would have enjoyed this more as a series, which would allow more time for it dive into each topic.
It’s shot beautifully in black and white with a 4:3 aspect ratio and features an ominous score that sets the tone of the film. It’s a good movie, but it tries to do too much with the time it has.
That’s a wrap on Doc Days 2019. I’ll be posting my recap and rankings shortly.
Michael Dixon is a mild mannered accountant by day and a mild mannered movie watcher by night. He will not do your taxes for you. He lives in Austin, Texas with his lovely television and collection of fine whiskies. You can’t purchase his book anywhere because it doesn’t exist.
