Issue 2007: January 2008 Archives
By Christoph Rausch
The inhabitants of Asmara, the capital of the young African nation of Eritrea situated in the mountains towering to the east of the Red Sea, have seen their share of conflict and violence. Neighboring Somalia, Ethiopia, and Sudan, the Eritrean city is regional witness to a century characterized by colonialist exploitation, racist genocide, ideologically fused proxy wars maintained by the cold war superpowers, despotic dictatorships, and lethal ethnic clashes. Eritrea is known as a subject of countless news reports depicting yet another human catastrophe resultant in immeasurable suffering.
A review of 10 canoes (2006), a film directed by Rolf de Heer
By Luke Panaccio
Whilst walking down Swanston Street in Melbourne, in the direction of Flinders Street Station on a pleasant September afternoon, one may encounter one of the sparse contemporary visions of Indigenous Australia. The vision is often first encountered when one has arrived at the foot of St. Paul’s Cathedral. It is definitely not the image that a tourist would expect of these people; nowhere is a didgeridoo to be seen, nor is there a re-enactment of a traditional corroboree (dancing ceremony) for the quick indulgence of tourist exoticism to be found. Rather one sees a bunch of shaggy-haired, smelly, badly dressed, foul-mouthed, chain-smoking, beer or whisky drinking people. Not only men, but also women, and even some children. The colour of their skin, and their version of the Australian accent are clear indicators that these people are Indigenous Australians.
By Janneke Frambach
Watching Michael Moore's movies makes me feel convinced and deceived at the same time. At the end I just want to shout: "See?! There's really something wrong with this world and we have to act right now!" But it is also obvious that Moore - a filmmaker, author and social and political activist - is a brilliant propagandist who plays his audience "like a violin", as one of his critics puts it, and so I should temper my enthusiasm.
