WHERE HEAVEN MEETS HELL (Sasha Friedlander, USA). 80 minutes. Subtitled. Rating: NNN
Sasha Friedlander’s doc on Indonesian sulphur miners is worth a look for the striking cinematography alone. Contrasting the sulphur’s bright, toxic yellows against the mine’s harsh, grey backdrops, the director composes Edward Burtynsky-worthy visuals.
Workers carry 70 to 90 kilos of sulphur on their backs while navigating their way around Kawah Ijen, an active volcano that would give the WSIB a heart attack. The miners break their backs and risk their lives for an income that doesn’t even pay for a basic education for their children.
Friedlander allows them to speak for themselves about their lives and dreams, but never develops a greater narrative or argument. She’s satisfied to simply observe a social injustice without mining its greater impact.
Apr 27, 7 pm, TIFF Bell Lightbox 2 Apr 28, 11 am, ROM Theatre May 5, 7:15 pm, TIFF Bell Lightbox 3.
