This short documentary was very interesting. Her choice to compare the blimp in Afghanistan versus Maryland was brilliant. The cultural differences were really obvious. I noticed she included a clip of her and the boy who lost one eye in this film, but which was also included in Cameraperson. Most of the story focused on things that were in the sky. Obviously the main focus was on the U.S Military blimp, but there was also emphasis on balloons and even the ferris wheel. One thing that stood out to me was when the man was explaining his beliefs regarding to God and the balloon. It was interesting because you could tell he was deeply ingrained in his religious beliefs. He claimed that God is the creator of all things, God sees everything and knows everything, when the man is asked about the balloon he states that God made the man who made the balloon and God put the idea in that mans head. This interview was very significant to the documentary as a whole. It showed a point of view of someone living in Afghanistan and knowing that he is being constantly watched by a different country. He most likely assumes that the reason his country is being watched is due to another country’s lack of trust. I think the message is to show that there is privacy invaded all over the world, at least that’s how I interpreted it and that is the thought that is connected to my emotions about the documentary. I felt bad that this blimp is invading citizens every day lives whether it is in Afghanistan or even the United States. There is really no sense of privacy in the modern world especially with the rise of technology. Part of me disagrees with this method used by my country, but also part of me understand why some people who hold power in our government might think this method is necessary. I think it’s great that Kirsten was able to gather so many differently angled shots of the blimp and interweave them together, it made it feel like time was passing by when it might have all been shot in one day.
