Peace, Love, and Lutefisk: Adventures i Norge

Sunrise: None
Sunset: None
Temperature: -10 Celsius (10 Farenheit)
Wind: 11 m/s (25 mph)
Wind Chill: -24 Celsius (-11 Farenheit)

It's a FREEZING day today as the wind is whipping off of the North Sea into my face. Despite this obstacle, I again ambled to the film festival, this time at 9am! It was worthwhile, but depressing.

The morning started with the film "Shooting Dogs." This movie was about a Catholic mission school in Rwanda on the eve of the genocide. It follows the life of the priest at the school and a young volunteer teacher. They both develop strong relationships with their students and enjoy the protection of the United Nations Belgian troops who are stationed at their school. When the genocide begins, fleeing Tutsis seek shelter in the school. For over a week they organize themselves to live and survive within the walls of the school. Eventually, all the Europeans who had taken refuge at the school are evacuated by French troops, leaving only the school teacher, priest, and the Belgian troops. A few days later, the UN troops are given orders to abandon the school and the people there. The school teacher and priest must decide whether to stay and face certain death from the Hutu militia outside the walls or flee with the troops. The teacher leaves and the priest stays and is eventually killed by a Hutu who was a former friend. The worst part about the whole movie is that it is based on true events when 2500 Rwandans where abandoned by the UN and killed at a school in Rwanda.

This movie was very moving and frustrating. I especially loved the final scene where the school teacher is in a field outside a huge cathedral presumably in England with people playing cricket in the background. Just a frustrating reminder of the gap in living standards and how much of what we are fortunate enough to enjoy often comes at a price most of us wish to ignore. The film did a great job of not being too excessive, and since we saw the events through the priest and school teachers eyes, you almost feel ignorant much like they and the world were during the events. In the end when confronted by the killing it is all the more powerful. I also thought this film was good because it was less hopeful and thus probably more realistic than "Hotel Rwanda." Finally, it was notable that survivors from the genocide were used in all aspects of the film: directing, costumes, acting, writing and editing. The genuine feel of it must have a lot to do with that.

Needless to say, I enjoyed the movie. It was a bit slow at first owing to the ignorance on the part of the priest and school teacher, but all in all, a powerful and necessary movie. Not exactly what you want to go back and see again though. It will stick with me for a while and I have been thinking about it all day, so I think those are good signs that this movie is a 6.

Only 30 minutes after "Shooting Dogs" I went to another film, which was probably a mistake. I should have had more time to digest. But the following movie was already, kind of funny and touching. It was called "The Shaktu World Record" and was about a small village in Macedonia where everyone wanted to be the champion of something. There were a ton of hilarious interviews with people who claimed to be the champion vampire catcher, the champion musician, the champion goose fighter, the champion dresser, and the champion lover. Of course, everyone thinks they are the champion and lots of arguing and small town gossip occur throughout the movie. This movie was fun, but was a little fluffy and at times a bit repetative. The characters however are great and I especially loved when they showed the music videos and one musician said he was the champion because his music videos were the best because they had the most effects. It reminded me of being in Tanzania and seeing ridiculous music videos and wedding videos when every generic effect was used without hesitation. Overall, I'd give this film a 3 because it definitely is enjoyable, but also forgettable.


Finally, yesterday just before midnight I headed to a Spanish movie called "Tapas." Very fun, light-hearted, and entertaining because I got to watch it with two friends from Spain and it took place in Barcelona where I visited this fall. They were laughing a lot more than me which makes me wonder...By far my favorite part of the movie was when a Bruce Lee lover in the movie starts comparing Bruce Lee with Chuck Norris. I just laughed thinking about all the facts about Chuck Norris such as "Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer, too bad he never cries." Well, besides the humor the movie somehow was able to lightly talk about assisted-suicide, drug use, marital relations, and love. It was a fun movie, but I think I would have rated it higher right after I saw it. Now, the shimmer wore off and I realized it was good, but not that good. A four for Tapas.

A break tomorrow and then a South African movie on Sunday!