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Last year, the trailer went around for an African*-made short science-fiction film called Pumzi. It was a really lovely trailer, as you can see below:
Anyway, it occurred to me that I had not heard anything since, so I decided to watch the full film, which has long since come out. (This was more challenging than anticipated. If you too would like to watch it, I can help with that).
Ultimately, it's not life changing, but I think it's worth the twenty minutes. It's visually quite beautiful, and it succeeds in creating an austere, oppressive atmosphere. (I'm actually not sure I buy that choice, all those bright, large rooms in a man-made city obsessed with conservation of energy and water; plus you lose a great deal of possible contrast with the second part of the film, when our hero stands under the sky. We have already seen the sky.)
There are some interesting story telling choices. The one that stuck strongest was something I noticed slowly, over a few minutes: this is not a silent film, but it will be a very easy film to dub. And one those likely reading may appreciate: every character with any amount of agency is a woman.
If you're versed in sci-fi, and you've seen the trailer, you have a pretty good idea of where the film is going to go and how it's going to get there. There's a few neat ideas along the way - a couple I'd have liked to see explored - but they never quite cohere into a larger story. I'm left unsure about anyone's motivations, about the world they live in. (And there's a couple makeup errors.)
I know there's only so much that can fit in twenty minutes, especially given the pace needed to achieve a feeling of too wide spaces, but the edges of the placeholders were too obvious. It's almost as if the film *expects* you to be familiar with the story, to fill in its blanks from variations on the theme you've heard before.
There's mention of expanding Pumzi into a full length film. I would like to see it. There is another, more sinister story rooted underneath this one, and perhaps with extra time and polish that's the one we'd get to see.
*Wikipedia specifies it as a Kenyan film, but while Wanuri Kahiu, who wrote and directed, is Kenyan, the filming was done in South Africa, and the lead is from Botswana.
Anyway, it occurred to me that I had not heard anything since, so I decided to watch the full film, which has long since come out. (This was more challenging than anticipated. If you too would like to watch it, I can help with that).
Ultimately, it's not life changing, but I think it's worth the twenty minutes. It's visually quite beautiful, and it succeeds in creating an austere, oppressive atmosphere. (I'm actually not sure I buy that choice, all those bright, large rooms in a man-made city obsessed with conservation of energy and water; plus you lose a great deal of possible contrast with the second part of the film, when our hero stands under the sky. We have already seen the sky.)
There are some interesting story telling choices. The one that stuck strongest was something I noticed slowly, over a few minutes: this is not a silent film, but it will be a very easy film to dub. And one those likely reading may appreciate: every character with any amount of agency is a woman.
If you're versed in sci-fi, and you've seen the trailer, you have a pretty good idea of where the film is going to go and how it's going to get there. There's a few neat ideas along the way - a couple I'd have liked to see explored - but they never quite cohere into a larger story. I'm left unsure about anyone's motivations, about the world they live in. (And there's a couple makeup errors.)
I know there's only so much that can fit in twenty minutes, especially given the pace needed to achieve a feeling of too wide spaces, but the edges of the placeholders were too obvious. It's almost as if the film *expects* you to be familiar with the story, to fill in its blanks from variations on the theme you've heard before.
There's mention of expanding Pumzi into a full length film. I would like to see it. There is another, more sinister story rooted underneath this one, and perhaps with extra time and polish that's the one we'd get to see.
*Wikipedia specifies it as a Kenyan film, but while Wanuri Kahiu, who wrote and directed, is Kenyan, the filming was done in South Africa, and the lead is from Botswana.
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