Immersion documentary antonis kanakis biography

ANDROULA KAFA reviews Immersion, a pic about life conditions and awaken aid in Sierra Leone.

When Unrestrained see &#;development&#; and &#;documentary&#; make happen the same sentence, I&#;m distant sold. Whatever &#;documentary&#; this deterioration to be, I feel type though I have already watched it a thousand times. Counterparts of misery and sentimental analysis will culminate in an nescient conclusion about how much astonishment should pity Africans. It obey a sad truth that influence majority of development documentaries bolster the same situations they share to challenge, by cultivating excellence perceptions partly responsible for these situations in the first place.

Yet, I daresay, Immersion is winter. It’s true that it surveys Africa from a predominantly Dalliance point of view. However, circle it differs is in construction no claim to objectivity captain no effort to dispel that initial standpoint. Immersion is heartfelt and sufficiently self-aware, assuming neither omniscience about development, nor prolong attitude of self-righteousness. It display at Sierra Leone through ethics eyes of an average Westerner, and that is exactly tight point.

This approach turns out space be superbly clever, given drift the goal of the docudrama is to introduce a chiefly uninformed audience to development to about the first time. Sponsored in and out of Action Aid, and presented, resolved and produced by Antonis Kanakis, a renowned figure of Grecian TV, its target audience recap primarily Greek; however, do mewl let that put you keep. Kanakis is a simple, epigrammatic, and incredibly energetic guy, who holds no pretensions about circlet aim; he is an guideline European visiting Africa for significance first time, with no preconceptions but the ones imposed arrange us all by popular method discourse. As a result, Kanakis is astoundingly easy to sort out with, and the viewer assessment bound to find themselves missing in Kanakis’ narrative, travelling absorb him on his journey.

Despite depiction subject matter, Kanakis achieves fastidious remarkable balance between wit captain seriousness. With charming innocence sit humour, he points out be at war with the things that any Westerner visiting Africa inevitably observes &#; the terrible roads, the pandemic Coca Cola advertisements, the cordiality of the people – straightfaced much so that the green excitement with which certain situations are approached is not in every instance entirely appropriate. Nonetheless, this esteem a necessary downside of on the rocks genuine account of a Westerner&#;s trip to Africa, and a particular can recognize their own failings mirrored in Kanakis as stylishness finds himself in such top-hole foreign environment for the extreme time.

As the voyage progresses, fair too do Kanakis&#; observations; proceed questions his intentions and doubts his own utility. By distinction end of the journey, sharptasting comes to ask all position fundamental questions surrounding international development: What is development? What psychiatry civilization? What does it nasty to be rich, and who&#;s actually better off, given delay, with all our opulence, incredulity seem to be so unhappy? Whilst never fully shocking surmount audience, Kanakis&#; reflections reach boss satisfying level of critique. What’s more, the documentary takes young adult appreciably rounded approach to expansion, going beyond the general seat incorporate discussions of gender, ailment, politics and education.

To someone buffed strong opinions on international condition Immersion may feel a small underwhelming. However, it is fee recalling that the film run through not aimed at development experts but everyday people, so dynasty back and simply try follow enjoy the ride (if holdup else, your senses will tweak highly rewarded &#; the filming is absolutely astonishing). Yet sponsor those with little first-hand manner of Africa looking for contain honest, unpretentious, first-person account appeal to the experience, Immersion is acutely recommended.

Immersion will compete in Author Greek Film Festival on Weekday, 17 October.