CPH:DOX 2009 round-up

Here are the films I managed to see this year:

1. The Invention of Dr. Nakamats
2. Into Eternity
3. Kim
4. Karima
5. Objectified
6. Shock Doctrine
7. Fra Haifa til Nørrebro
8. Art&Copy
9. Videocracy
10. The Cove
11. The Great Contemporary Art Bubble
12. The Film I’m No Longer Talking About
13. Garapa

The biggest experience this year was, by far, “Into Eternity“. It’s a film that is still haunting me and I can’t wait to see it again. I think it has a huge underground potential, but realistically it won’t be met. This is truly sad, because the film has the power to make us dream and that’s no small feat. I wish the director and ATMO all the best in promoting the film.

I had really been looking forward to Dr. Nakamats and Art&Copy. Nakamats had a sky-high production value (at least in the realm of documentaries), but it didn’t quite grip me as much as I’d thought. Art&Copy was very interesting, but the story arch didn’t really satisfy. But I’m still glad I saw both films.

“Objectified” was in line with “Helvetica” – if you like one, you will like the other. “Garapa” was anything but entertaining and I’ve certainly taken my wife on better Friday night dates – but it’s an important movie that strikes close to home (I lived in Brazil for 4 years). “The Great Contemporary Art Bubble” was probably the most enlightening film and it was fun to watch. “The Cove” was fun and entertaining and achieves its objective. “Shock Doctrine” is the sort of political doc that I thought directors stopped making after Bush left the White House – but it’s also a doc with a powerful style. “The Film I’m No Longer Talking About” is the sort of film any film-maker will appreciate. Its also a film with a lot of heart. “Karima” was the only doc I walked out on – there are limits to how much anal abuse I can watch.

“Kim” and “Fra Haifa til Nørrebro” are two powerful, small and personal dox – yet two more examples of how high the production value of Danish documentaries are. Especially the sound work was fantastic – both the music and the soundscapes.

I didn’t see the winning film, “Trash Humpers”, but judging from the trailers and reviews, it’s a totally bizarre choice. Is it even a documentary? Not even the director seems to think it is. I know little of the criteria to win, but if CPH:DOX is interested in getting people to the big and small screens to see documentaries, I think it was a shitty choice. More commentary about the Trash Humpers choice over at The Documentary Blog.

But regardless of my personal taste, I want to wish all the directors congratulations with their films. Making dox will push a man to his limit and just completing one is extraordinary.

Eventually 1-minute reviews of all films will be online. Hope to see you next year at CPH:DOX 2010!