Indiewire - More Than 'Honey' - Has the Swiss Documentary Renaissance Peaked?

15.8.2013

News March 2021

News February 2021

News January 2021


News December 2020

News November 2020

News October 2020

News September 2020

News August 2020

News July 2020

News June 2020

News May 2020

News April 2020

News March 2020

News February 2020

News January 2020


News December 2019

News November 2019

News October 2019

News September 2019

News August 2019

News July 2019

News June 2019

News May 2019

News April 2019

News March 2019

News February 2019

News January 2019


News December 2018

News November 2018

News October 2018

News September 2018

News August 2018

News July 2018

News June 2018

News May 2018

News April 2018

News March 2018

News February 2018

News January 2018


News December 2017

News November 2017

News October 2017

News September 2017

News August 2017

News July 2017

News June 2017

News May 2017

News April 2017

News March 2017

News February 2017

News January 2017


News December 2016

News November 2016

News October 2016

News September 2016

News August 2016

News July 2016

News June 2016

News May 2016

News April 2016

News March 2016

News Fabruary 2016

News January 2016


News December 2015

News November 2015

News October 2015

News September 2015

News August 2015

News July 2015

News June 2015

News May 2015

News April 2015

News March 2015

News February 2015

News January 2015


News December 2014

News November 2014

News October 2014

News September 2014

News August 2014

News July 2014

News June 2014

News May 2014

News April 2014

News March 2014

News February 2014

News January 2014


News December 2013

News November 2013

News October 2013

News August 2013

News July 2013

News June 2013

News May 2013

News April 2013

News March 2013

News February 2013

News January 2013


News December 2012

News November 2012

News October 2012

News Dezember 2012

News August 2012

News July 2012

News June 2012

News May 2012

News April 2012

News March 2012

News February 2012

News January 2012


News December 2011

News November 2011

News October 2011

News September 2011

News August 2011

News July 2011

News June 2011

News May 2011

News April 2011

News March 2011

News February 2011

News January 2011


News December 2010

News November 2010

News October 2010

News September 2010

News August 2010

News July 2010

News June 2010

News May 2010

News April 2010

News March 2010

News February 2010

News January 2010


News December 2009

News November 2009

News October 2009

News September 2009

News August 2009

News Juillet 2009

News June 2009

News May 2009

News April 2009

News March 2009

News February 2009

News January 2009


News December 2008

News November 2008

News October 2008

News December 2008

News August 2008

News July 2008

News June 2008

News May 2008

News April 2008

News March 2008

News February 2008

News January 2008


News December 2007

News November 2007

News October 2007

News September 2007

News August 2007

News July 2007

News June 2007

News May 2007

News April 2007

News March 2007

News February 2007

News January 2007


News December 2006

News November 2006

News October 2006

News September 2006

News August 2006

News July 2006

News June 2006

News May 2006

News April 2006

News March 2006

News February 2006

Bron's narration and composition are poetic -- the director closes with a clever and evocative reference to CITIZEN KANE's ending -- though he's sometimes guilty of buying into Blocher's populist mysticism, especially when he indulges in evoking the man's superlative Nietzchean dreams. But for all the intensity of debate that preceded its premiere, THE BLOCHER EXPERIENCE emphatically refuses to let itself be coerced into perpetuating controversy, instead offering an unintrusive definition of this ruthless, obstinate businessman and politician, dispelling any claim that Bron might have tried to push his own opposite ideologies. Separating the man from the shadow he projects, the director has borrowed the basic recipe for Morris THE FOG OF WAR and improved on it.
Set in the middle of an endearing, though never belittled, rural community, BLACKBOARD plays like a near-exhaustive chronicle of the school's final year of existence. The touching naivete of the children, a la TO BE AND TO HAVE, breathes life to every shot, their persistent sense of wonder and kid chatter a delight to watch and hear. Yersin intelligently punctuates the near-constant stream of happiness with reminders that this theater of smiles doesn't survive the end of his documentary. The director's discreet statement about the social decay brought about by the urban governments' overlooking of rural areas is an eminently valid one, especially when it's communicated through so much overwhelming cuteness.
As difficult as it is to admit, Switzerland's 2013 documentary output has to be considered a regression for the genre's recent resurgence in the country. Not in the sense that this new batch is of lesser quality than previous years' (both examples are progressive, topical, and enthralling), but rather in its focused commitment to specifically Swiss issues that can only lessen the films' range of exportability. 2012 helped put Swiss documentary filmmakers on the map. In 2013, the subjects perhaps aren't quite so unlikely, and more clearly intended for the sensibilities of Swiss audiences.
indiewire.com



3.22.75.216