Going back and remembering the film, I realize it was one of the best documentary I’ve ever seen. Now I’ve seen documentaries that delivered a powerful message and show a side of the world that was new to me, but I have never seen one that did more than emphasizing the rough realities of life. Johnson showed a whole range of emotions, from somber to joyful and everything in between. The film was captivating not just to see how people made it through their hardships, but to see the small delights in the day, things that bring out a smile. Whether that could be from watching an African dance ceremony, capturing the rapid motions of a man’s face as he moves to the beat, to pouring a glass of home-made grape juice, seen after the closeup of the multiple colors of grapes in a basket. It was balance between good times and hard times, and that’s something I thoroughly enjoyed from the documentary. It was also nice to see moments of total surprise, such as Johnson sneezing moments after lightning strikes and the sudden movement of snow after her friend vents out. These moments are never intended, but add a sense of wonder when captured on camera. A great film to watch.
Also, it was nice to see that Kirsten was so down-to-earth when answering questions. She made her responses interesting to hear, allowing us to know more about the process behind the documentary and give her own insight on it. A pleasure to view.