EDFF REVIEW: “The Hill We Climb”

“The Hill We Climb” is a poignant and powerful documentary short film from director and executive producer Raeden Greer. The film tells the moving true story of two Benton, Arkansas residents and their tireless efforts to improve and revitalize a marginalized 100-year-old African-American community known to the locals as “The Hill”.

Greer centers her film on two of her friends and classmates, Farisha Brown and Aaron Calvin. Both lived across the proverbial tracks in the “The Hill”, now referred to as the Ralph Bunche Community. Speaking mostly through compelling testimonies and the evocative camerawork of her DP Christian Wallace, Greer addresses the community’s complex problems with a heart-piercing clarity.

Interestingly, the struggles Greer emphasizes come from both inside and outside of the community. There is the constant battle for its reputation. There is the neighborhood’s history of crime and the resulting stigma that Farisha, Aaron, and others have tried to overcome. Then there is the difficulty in getting participation from within the community – a surprising dilemma that only adds to the challenge.

Farisha and Aaron are both interesting and inspirational. But just as important to the film’s overarching message are the various community members we see and hear. Whether it’s an elder preacher sharing his real-world wisdom, a longtime resident expressing the ways their neighborhood has changed, or a young boy explaining why he plans on moving away once he’s old enough. The people we meet bring out the energy, the frustration, and the personality of a part of Benton that people only know by the image they project.

Greer shares some of the city’s ugly history which speaks to the progress that has been made since. But she makes it abundantly clear that there is still a long way to go. That leads to an urgency in her approach that energizes the film. But there is also an honesty that leaves us wondering not only how change might come about, but if it even will.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

EDFF REVIEW: “The Last Thing Lost”

At the risk of stating the obvious, one of the great things about documentaries is the opportunity they provide filmmakers to tell affecting real-life stories that otherwise wouldn’t be shared outside of their own communities and circles. One such example is “The Last Thing Lost”, a striking 41-minute film from writer-director Jake Siam Solomon that’s equal part heartbreaking and uplifting.

“The Last Thing Lost” tells the story of Sarith Ou and his improbable journey from war-torn Cambodia to Wisconsin, USA and then back to Cambodia. Solomon chronicles Sarith’s unimaginable life, highlighting a man haunted by his traumatic past yet using it to drive his heartfelt desire to help future generations in his homeland.

The fourth of seven siblings, Sarith grew up part of a farming family in Tom Poung village. With the Cambodian government in chaos, a young Sarith joined the Khmer Rouge, a ruthless and murderous regime who is said to have killed three million people between 1975 and 1979. Sarith rose in rank, soon commanding a total of 300 troops. But he defected after seeing the group’s genocidal reign of violence and oppression, running for his life and even serving time in a Thai prison before making it to safety in the United States.

Sarith made a good life for himself in Wisconsin, but the trauma and guilt remained. With his native country ever in his mind, Sarith returned to Cambodia. There, with the help of his American friend Roger Garms, he began building a new school and teaching the enthusiastic children in hopes of setting their young lives on a better trajectory.

Solomon does a good job laying out Cambodia’s tumultuous history in relation to its current state, through Sarith’s personal testimony, archived footage, and even an occasional chalkboard-esque animation. Not only does it provide context to Sarith’s life, but it helps us understand what compels him to action. It truly is a remarkable story relayed through an evocatively shot, skillfully edited, and keenly directed documentary.

VERDICT – 4 STARS