Traveller’s Teacup

http://www.youtube.com/homeproject

Artists are always looking for new strategies to communicate their message. On this day in 2003, the grand opening of the “ČESKÝ SEN (Czech Dream)” was staged. Two “student” filmmakers had created a nation-wide advertising campaign selling to the Czech public a hypermarket called “Czech Dream”. The only thing was that it didn’t exist! The grand opening attracted thousands of people… and their documentary crew filmed on.

“… Czech Dream has been called a hoax, a sociological experiment, a “provocumentary,” and a “documockmentary,” among other things. As far as I know, though, it has not yet directly been referenced as a culture jam or an adbust…” - Stephen Harris, Bright Lights film journal

The documentary raises interesting questions about today’s nature of consumerism, advertising and the manipulation power of the media. Here’s are some excerpts from the grand opening:

And here’s the “official trailer”

Recently screened at Hot Docs 2009 - “REPORTER” by Eric Daniel Metzgar

As some of your know, Luis Patron (my UNU producing colleague) and I have recently returned from filming on the Carteret Islands in PNG. The situation there is terrible. The media has started picking up on the relocation efforts but the islanders still need financial support of about US$2 million to relocate the 125 families. The videobrief we made in collaboration with Nicholas and Tulele Peisa (headed by Ursula Rakmova) has already been viewed by over 48,000 online viewers.

The video got a plug in this treehugger article:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/05/indigenous-communities-carteret-islands-use-film.php

Ursula from Tulele Peisa recently writes:
“…I was in Tinputz on Wednesday to welcome the first 5 fathers when they arrived from Carterets. I went there again on Sunday last week and they seemed really happy and have been hard at work, cleaning the place and cutting down some more bushes. They are now feeling at home. Their wives and children will come on June 5, 2009 to join them. The governor on Sunday went to present to them a chainsaw which is now helping them to build the houses that are yet to be put up…

For those of you interested here’s the video again:

Whilst putting together the recent Alaskan film night, I came across this beautiful short Russian documentary by Ivan Golovnev and the Ethnographic Bureau Studio.

Old Man Peter - 25:55 minutes

This film takes us into the world of old man Peter Sengepov, the last surviving Shaman of the Kazym River, who lives alone in the depths of the Siberian taiga.

View full screen here: http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/1076/Old-man-Peter