Anna Politkovskaya Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Hot Docs Review: Letter to Anna - The Story of Journalist Politkovskaya's Death
Filed under: Documentary », Drama », Theatrical Reviews », Politics », Other Festivals »
A documentary always needs a skillful hand and eye to bring it together, otherwise the subject can easily get lost in the layout and presentation of the film. However, the true magic behind a documentary is often luck. No matter how much planning and careful crafting go into the film, there is always a degree of fortuity involved -- that your subjects will be cogent and engaging, or that the story unfolds in a cinematic way. This luck is what made The Ghosts of Cite Soliel so insanely gripping, and why this new documentary by Eric Bergkraut, Letter to Anna -- The Story of Journalist Politkovskaya's Death, is worth your time.
The benefit of making documentaries about current or recent media figures who have passed away is that there is a fountain of information to choose from -- video clips, interviews, memoirs, family members, friends. They allow for a deeper and more personal look at the subject, and free the filmmaker from having to make educated guesses based on old sources skewed by translation, agenda, and lost bits of information. But rarely, if ever, do we see a documentary about someone who has passed away where their interviews speak directly to the theme of the film. In the case of Letter to Anna, Bergkraut is fortunate enough to have hours of interviews with slain journalist Anna Politkovskaya from his previous documentary, Coca: The Dove from Chechnya. These conversations not only infuse the film with a definite sense of who she was, but also allow us to learn about Anna's passions and personality directly from the source.
This Week on Cinematical: Village Voice Shakeup, Michael Apted Interview, and The Departed Junket
Filed under: Action », Animation », Comedy », Documentary », Drama », Foreign Language », Gay & Lesbian », Horror », Romance », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Thrillers », Site Announcements », Casting », Executive shifts », Celebrities and Controversy », Box Office », Scripts », Newsstand », Movie Marketing », Politics », Obits », Comic/Superhero/Geek », Remakes and Sequels », Games and Game Movies », Oscar Watch », Columns », Cinematical Indie »
Just in case you missed them the first time around, here's a round-up of what we've been talking about on Cinematical this week:
Interviews, Columns, and Hot Topics
- Ryan Stewart Interviews 49 Up's Michael Apted
- What Makes a Black Film Authentic?
- Kevin Costner as Neo?!? And Other Near Disasters
- Erik Davis Covers The Departed Junket
- Jim Carrey Ain't Got No Game
- Cinematical Seven: The "Retro-Movie" Videogames
- Jeff Anderson's 400 Screens, 400 Blows: Streep Smart
- Mark Beall's Geek Beat: Marvel Musings
- Should a Film's Subjects Have a Say in Its Rating?
- Does the World Really Need Mr. Woodcock?
- Scene Stealers: Tom Wilson
- Film Blog Group Hug: Enter Witty Post Title Here
- Major Shakeup at Village Voice Leaves Only J Hoberman Standing
More, much more, after the jump ...
Russian Journalist Anna Politkovskaya Murdered
Filed under: Documentary », Foreign Language », Independent », Politics », Obits », Cinematical Indie »
I was at the store today when my husband called me on my cell: "Hey, you remember Anna Politkovskaya, that Russian journalist we saw in the film Coca: The Dove of Chechnya last year?" he said. As soon as he said those words, my heart sank; I knew what his next words were going to be: That Politkovskaya, known for her relentless pursuit of the truth in documenting human rights violations, especially by the Russian government against Chechnya, had finally been assassinated. When I saw Coca: The Dove of Chechnya at the Amnesty International Film Festival last year, I was moved by Politkovskaya and her dedication to reporting the truth, in spite of the death threats she received on a regular basis. When she was on her way to report on the Chechen terrorists taking over a school in Beslan in 2004, she was taken ill with severe food poisoning, but many believed that she was poisoned in an attempt on her life. She had to flee to Vienna, Austria in 2001 after receiving emails claiming that a Russian police officer whose atrocities against civilians she had reported on was seeking revenge.
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