I wasn’t able to devote as much time to Hot Docs as I had the year before but I remained able to attend some enjoyment screenings. Unfortunately, although the topics, like film and sport were interesting, the narrative structure of all three documentaries that I screened was flawed.
The People vs. George Lucas recounts the dissonance between Star Wars fans and franchise creator George Lucas. Fans are willing to dress up like their favourite characters or recreate scenes from the original trilogy but they loathe the changes Lucas made for the Special Edition or the new filmmaking of the Prequels. Some of the fans were devoted to the point of absurdity yet took themselves very seriously.
An interesting point was how Lucas appeared before Congress to decry the colourization of older movies yet consistently revises and changes his own work. To me, an artist’s work is never done and he’s within his rights to refine his films, although it would be a nice gesture to retain copies of the original versions rather than send cease and desist letters to fans who protest. Films are created primarily for creativity and enjoyment so it seems counterintuitive that fans have such an adversarial relationship with the creator of films they both love and hate. **½
Prom Night in Mississippi details Morgan Freeman’s attempts to hold an integrated at Charleston High School. Freeman had offered to pay for an integrated prom if the school would end the tradition of separate proms for whites and blacks.In 2008, the school finally accepted the actor’s offer. The film showcases the human reactions of the students as they look forward to this unique event. Many opponents – who believe that their views are entirely justified – also speak on camera. Although there are minor bumps in the road, the event goes off without a hitch and the students grow closer as a result. The two groups shared many more traits than they gave each other credit for. **½
Freetime Machos chronicles a pathetic semi-pro rugby team in Finland. These players are comically terrible but have a lot of fun playing rugby and spending time with each other. As the film progresses, team members come and go; the film serving as a metaphor for life. More people should participate in sport in order to reduce stress and remain healthy. But this film is really boring, like many of the shutout games played by the time. Part-time players chronicled by a part-time filmmaker. Cute, but without substance. *