(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
Prophet's Prey
Directed by: Amy Berg, photo: Peter Donahue
Storm over the Andes
Director: Mikael Wiström, photo: Iván Blanco and Göran Gester
Flotel Europe
Directed by: Vladimir Tomic, photo: div.
Amy Berg's documentary Prophet's Prey starting with a voice I immediately feel sorry for. The narrator track is read by Nick Cave, who has also been in charge of film music along with his currently constant companion Warren Ellis. Admittedly, Cave's voice is heard only in this projection, where he gives us a relatively quick introduction to the background history of the religious group "The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (FLDS), which the film is about.
Polygamy. In the rest of Prophet's Prey there is another dark and boisterous male voice that regularly appears on the soundtrack. It belongs to Warren Jeffs, who in 2004 took over the leadership of the sect after his father Rulon. And the word "sect" is certainly in its place about this religious community. The "Fundamentalist Church of the Latter-day Saints of Jesus Christ" was originally part of the Mormon Church, but broke out in the late 1800s when they abolished the multi-congregation. Like most extreme fundamentalists, FLDS is the only true believer, and despite being illegal in all states in the United States, members consider polygamy as an important foundation for their faith. Not least, this applies to Warren Jeffs himself, who is the only member of the denomination who can accept marriage – and who at one point must have had more than 80 wives.
Amy Berg's interview-based documentary relies heavily on private investigator Sam Brower and author Jon Krakauer, who have both worked for several years to uncover the offenses and offenses that take place in the closed cult. And there are not few, we shall eventually know. After he took over, Jeffs allegedly used his position as omnipotent "prophet" to rape and abuse minors, in addition to having his members work almost as slaves and surrender his financial values to "the community."
A strong warning that the United States' principle of religious freedom, in its extreme consequence, could become a kind of free card to commit the most serious abuses.
Popular trend. "True crime" documentaries are in the wind at the moment, in the wake of the podcast Serial and the TV series The Jinx. One can, however, just as easily draw a parallel between Prophet's Prey and Errol Morris' classic The Thin Blue Line, with its thriller-like structure and gradual portioning of significant turning points (the latter albeit to a lesser extent here). In addition, its theme of religious fundamentalism is obviously relevant to look up to several groupings that characterize today's news picture.
Among the interviewees in the film we find several breakaways from the church community, including a couple of Jeffs' family members and one of his former wives. In addition, as mentioned, we regularly hear recordings of Jeffs himself, most often from what sounds like sermons. In the most outrageous of these audio recordings, there is little doubt that he uses his religious leadership position to persuade a young girl to participate in sexual activities she obviously does not want.
The film goes on to tell how Warren Jeffs was finally arrested, after he ended up on the list of FBIs "most wanted" in company with people like Osama bin Laden on the basis of testimonies from defectors. It is alleged, however, that the false prophet still controls his loyal followers from prison, almost like a mafia boss. Or perhaps rather as a terrorist, as the film also promotes some unpleasant speculations about what he can get his followers to do.
Indoctrination. The documentary includes regular footage of members of the sect, filmed from a distance in their remote hometowns of Utah and Arizona. With their long dresses and expressionless faces, they can bring to mind The Stepford Wives and the children in The Village of the Damned, for those who know their science fiction and horror film history. These seem to be people who are indoctrinated rather than brainwashed, as they hardly know any other reality than the sect leader has defined for them. The perspective is naturally disturbing in itself, at the same time as it also brings to mind what can happen to those who may grow up in ISIS-controlled areas.
Prophet's Prey tells a frightening story about how much one can rob people of their human dignity, if they are taught to believe that this is the way it should be. In addition, it is a strong warning that the United States' principle of religious freedom, in its extreme consequence, could become a kind of exemption card for committing the most serious abuses.
Personal trip to Peru. Amy Berg's film is one of the documentaries shown at the Tromsø International Film Festival these days. The same is Storm over the Andesor Storm over the Andes in Norwegian. This documentary is directed by Mikael Wiström, and is about the twenty-year-old Josefin, who grew up in Sweden. Against the will of her native South American father, she decides to travel to Peru to find out the truth about his sister Augusta. Josefin has only been told in rough outline that the aunt died during the armed struggle for justice for the country's poor in the 80's.
Against the will of her native South American father, she decides to travel to Peru to find out the truth about his sister Augusta.
However, as she seeks out family members and other contemporary witnesses, she experiences that the picture is far more complex than has been given to her. Together with her husband Abimael Gúzman, Augusta was one of the founders and leaders of the guerrilla group Lysende Sti, which initiated a revolt against Peruvian authorities that would last for 20 years and claim 70 lives. And Josefin quickly discovers that many in the country still blame her family for losing their loved ones.
One of these is Flo, who gets involved in the documentary to find out what happened to his missing brother – and to clear his name. Thus, Flo embarks on a separate journey with Josefin, where the two young women's projects and points of view both reflect and stand in stark contrast to each other. Eventually, this allows the two to broaden their perspectives on the conflict that constantly characterizes both of them, through what can be described as a bit of an inner as well as an outer journey.
In addition to creating an interesting narrative dynamic, the relationship between the two women between the film provides a pleasing balance, where Luminous Path is neither glorified nor demonized. Although the main character himself is not the film's director, is Storm over the Andes a very personal documentary, with identity and reconciliation as central themes. At the same time, it provides an insight into a conflict that has not received too much attention here at home, possibly because it has been somewhat overshadowed by more or less simultaneous events in Argentina and Chile.
Floating refugee hotel. During the festival in Tromsø, the Danish / Serbian documentary will also be shown Flotel Europe, directed by Vladimir Tomic. Like Storm over the Andes this is a personal documentary, in addition to telling about a very brutal political conflict. As a young boy, Tomic fled with his mother and older brother from the war in Bosnia to Copenhagen in 1992. Here the refugee reception centers were full, so the Red Cross used a large ship in one of the city's canals to accommodate around 1000 people while they waited for the processing of their asylum applications.
Tomic's film is based on private video recordings made by the occupants of the boat, which are complemented by his own narrator's voice on the soundtrack. Vladimir and his family spent two years in limbo at the floating accommodation "Flotel Europa", and during this time he goes through a number of experiences that are recognizable from most teenage lives. It's about friendships and quarrels with peers, about hanging out with the older and tougher guys, about budding sexuality and the difficult first love. Typically, young Vladimir struggles to find the courage to approach his fiancée, and consequently it goes towards a long-term love affair. At the same time, the place where they live means that we never forget the serious backdrop, which becomes even clearer when we see the many refugees sitting glued to the screen in the TV room – some almost apathetic, but most desperate for news about their loved ones who are still in old country.
Vladimir and his family spent two years in limbo at the floating accommodation "Flotel Europa".
The combination of depiction of growing up, film essay and condition report from life as a refugee Flotel Europe to a strong and distinctive film experience. Furthermore, it is an effective reminder that refugees are like most people, in need of maintaining a form of everyday life. And it is undeniably a relevant and necessary reminder these days.
The films Prophet's Prey, Storm over the Andes og Flotel Europe will be shown at the Tromsø International Film Festival, which is held in the period from 18 to 24 January. Flotel Europe will also be shown at the new capital festival Arkitekturfilm Oslo 2016, which kicks off for the first time on 15-17. January.
