Discover Three Compelling Documentaries at Encounters

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This week we’re talking about three documentaries screening at the Encounters South African International Documentary Film Festival…

Mr. Nobody Against Putin

David Borenstein and Pavel Talankin’s documentary, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, offers a chilling look at the creeping militarization of Russian schools during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Set in the ecologically devastated town of Karabash, the film follows Pavel Talankin, a school videographer, as he documents his institution’s transformation into a breeding ground for military indoctrination under President Putin’s youth programs.

Talankin’s unique vantage point, with unrestricted access as the school videographer, allows him to seamlessly document the pervasive military lesson plans. He roams freely, observing without initial prejudice, but as the film progresses, his anti-war sentiments subtly filter into his work. This creates a growing distance with his students, who fear association with anything anti-Putin, and alienates him from fellow teachers.

It’s astounding Talankin was granted such freedom, given his deliberate attempts to undermine Russian propaganda. This subversive approach mirrors quiet resistance from within the system. The documentary masterfully captures the unsettling corruption of innocence as childhood gives way to war preparation. The backdrop of Karabash, a highly toxic place with low life expectancy, amplifies this unsettling indoctrination preying on youth with limited prospects.

Comprised mainly of school footage, Mr. Nobody Against Putin also captures stories of young conscripts heading to war and a poignant graduation. Operating covertly, Talankin occasionally feels surveilled yet remarkably flies under the radar, acting as a fly-on-the-wall. He punctuates observations with personal interviews, narrating his involvement and remarks.

This is a profoundly brave undertaking. Talankin’s work provides an unfiltered picture of how military action impacted students, teachers, and parents, and the hard-hitting propaganda unleashed upon them. An important film from the inside, Mr. Nobody Against Putin echoes Hollywoodgate. Despite close calls, Talankin captures a critical moment, under constant threat for his anti-war sentiments and subtle efforts to circumvent the brainwashing of the school and its students.

The Shadow Scholars

The Shadow Scholars is a compelling documentary exploring Kenya’s hidden world of contract essay writing, a trade fueled by economic necessity and global demand. Based on Prof. Patricia Kingori’s research, the film investigates the complex causes, effects, and social injustices underpinning this ethically fraught industry, probing the blurred lines of ghostwriting and academic fraud.

The documentary exposes why Kenyan writers undertake these tasks and why foreign students seek their services, highlighting the unhealthy exchange. Prof. Kingori guides viewers to meet the writers and students, unearthing intricate social complexities around ownership and credibility.

The film reveals the striking academic prowess of these Kenyan writers, who effortlessly craft complex reports across disciplines in hours, raising questions about “bought” degrees and the difficulty of combating technically “original” plagiarism. Their dollar earnings, boosted by exchange rates, incentivize this demanding work, allowing foreign students to achieve grades without effort. The film uses AI to protect identities while addressing the operation’s façade.

Drawing parallels to scandals like Operation Varsity Blues, the documentary also introduces AI’s disruptive influence, noting these scholars performed tasks now achievable by AI, complicating questions of authorship. It further exposes the precarious information protection, where exposure could lead to degree retractions. Fundamentally, these “Shadow Scholars” are trapped by economic circumstances, sacrificing their own academic advancement to support families.

This contrasts sharply with the privileged students who unfairly benefit. Prof. Kingori meticulously unpacks the online endeavor’s issues, including intense criticism and efforts by institutions to crack down on illicit activities.

Timely and relevant, The Shadow Scholars offers a poignant example of global ethical dilemmas in academic integrity and AI’s burgeoning influence. Director Eloise King, with an empathetic lens, explores layered social issues and stigmas surrounding Africa. The “Scholars” are humanized, their identities protected, and the film delves into deeper political undercurrents of prejudice and inequality, ultimately speaking to systemic injustice.

Sam Nzima: A Journey Through His Lens

Sam Nzima may not be a household name, yet he’s linked to the indelible photograph of the late Hector Pieterson, an iconic image representing the 1976 Soweto Uprising. This haunting photograph, a turning point in South African history, is the focus of the documentary Sam Nzima: A Journey Through His Lens.

Director Nhlanhla Mthethwa traces Nzima’s journey from his early days in rural Transvaal, detailing his involvement with photography, his career as a frontline photojournalist, and the challenges he faced protecting his photograph’s copyright. Through intimate interviews, student riot archive footage, and photographs from the era, the film vividly portrays this pivotal photographer.

Sam Nzima: A Journey Through His Lens captures the zeitgeist of apartheid South Africa in 1976, giving Nzima his rightful recognition and preserving an important piece of history. The image of Hector Pieterson is arguably the photograph that most powerfully encapsulated that turning point. Though many didn’t know Nzima’s name despite his image’s global reach, this documentary stands as a testament to his persistence.

Initially, Nzima had reservations about the photograph, but he eventually recognized its immense power. Interviews in the film illuminate Nzima’s perspective and the realities of apartheid, discrimination, and racial politics of the time. The documentary explores the photograph’s profound influence and the fates of those captured within it, skillfully weaving together these disparate elements.

A 74-minute film, Sam Nzima: A Journey Through His Lens combines archive material with interviews from activists, journalists, and family. It’s a remarkable achievement that Nzima was able to share his story before his passing. While somewhat scattered, this documentary portrait offers a warm retrospective of his enduring contributions to photography, his life, and his career.

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