directed by:
Brad M King written by: Brad M King genre: Documentary |
Writer/Director Brad M. King has created a genuinely unique documentary with "Bancoco" that is sure to warm the hearts of anyone out there watching. Some eighteen years ago, he had taken a trip deep into the jungle and discovered a connection with the Mogue tribe that went on to last a lifetime. After nearly two decades away from them, he decided to venture back in a sincere effort to see if he could find them again. You have to understand that it's not like there are road signs that point them out – there are no maps that'll take you directly to them – this is genuine word-of-mouth and memory-type stuff, which also ends up playing a significant role in the journey that Brad takes throughout this film.
On his return to the Mogue people, he's bringing a remarkable gift with him this time – pictures. All of them were taken eighteen years ago on his previous trip, King has come bearing both still shots and video, and he's determined to find all the beautiful faces to who they belong. It's not necessarily going to be easy. Still, the adventure is very much an endearing part of this movie as Brad goes from person to person, able to track down the vast majority by somebody knowing somebody else, and so forth. One by one, he manages to track down almost everyone, basically, and what he finds is amazing. Not only does he find a whole bunch of long-lost friends that essentially consider themselves extended family – many of the Mogue people remember Brad from before and can vividly remember his visit from way back when. King, of course, has brought visual receipts through his pictures and videos, where this documentary's most heartwarming scenes come to life. So many of the Mogue had never had another picture of their childhood or their past ever taken, and just as many had never even seen themselves in a picture or a video before. We take these things for granted in Western society without a doubt - and to see how special something like this is in a society that doesn't - was truly something else to experience. Beautiful really. A simple picture can truly bring so much joy to people.
What I found absolutely fascinating is that for a humble tribe that exists way, way out in the jungle and so far from civilization, these pictures brought on a wonderful wealth of emotions and unique memories. Honestly, it's incredible to think that they're seeing these photos for the first time nearly two decades later, and they are triggering everyone's nostalgia in extraordinary ways. Some people would recognize themselves as small children, and others would see their parents, brothers, and sisters in photos – some folks would recognize people that lived in different parts of the jungle or kids that had grown up into adults. As watchers, we get to witness how special this moment is, how profoundly unique it is to the Mogue people, and how amazing it all is for Brad as well. This is the kind of film that is absolutely endearing to watch - you'll feel like you're right there with them. I don't really know what I was expecting to find in "Bancoco," but this ended up being so much more fun and genuinely moving than most documentaries tend to be. Brad's quite the character himself – it was extremely cool to see how much he'd affected this tribe from his time spent with them back in the day, and watching him earn his own tribal name as a result of his dedication to them was another highlight. Great filming of the remote location, the fantastic personalities we meet, and incredible reaction shots that are guaranteed to move the hearts and minds of people watching "Bancoco" from beginning to end. Brad set out on a unique mission – and not only did he fully accomplish what he set out to achieve, but he also became an inspiration to them every bit as much as they had inspired him. "Bancoco" has culture, class, heart, and purpose – I haven't seen anything like it before, and I felt like King absolutely nailed the spirit of what real nostalgia is all about on a whole new level. I'm giving this film a well-earned four stars out of five, hoping King will make another trip back someday. |
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