Today’s post is dedicated to June 19th…
Spell Reel (2017) is a documentary which explores the history of the people of Guinea-Bissau by trying to retell the history through a true manner.
It is put together by a team of members and director Filipa César who has insisted not to be named as the single creator for this documentary.
It touches upon the people’s fight for independence and freedom while putting together material of film. The documentary is very original in its manner of connecting past footage with present excerpts from historians and scholars who have actually witnessed the struggle.
This piece of art is also an evidence of how history and the past can be recreated through montage and film. The screenshot below takes the viewer on a small pause on the power of a camera and film.
What is so notable about the documentary is the director’s efforts in having the actual people who have gone through suffering and pain in their past to tell their own story. Filipa César just like film acts as the medium in redelivering an account of history that needed to be retold.
On a special day as today, where people still struggle for freedom, this piece of art stands as a profound example of how powerful film can be in portraying and reportraying these struggles.
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