Skip to main content

There may be good reasons to not like Ballast, but the fact that a "white" director made it should not be one of them

Here's my comment re: SpoutBlog's post Does Ballast Really Deserve a Backlash? In that question lies another question - is it acceptable for a director to make a film about people who belong to another social/ethnic/political/economic/"racial" group? Here's what I said about it:

I don’t see any problem with a person from one group making a work of art/entertainment about a person or people from another social/religious/political/national/ethinic/”race”/whatever group. We (humans) have been doing it for thousands of years. Some do it well, others don’t. But either way, it’s alright to do.

I thought Gandhi was well done - not that I am an expert on the life & times of Gandhi - but, as a movie goer - what I saw & heard seemed like a good reflection of what I knew about Gandhi, even though the movie was made by a non-Indian & “white”, British director. So, it is possible, I think, for a person to make a good movie about a person or a group of people from another group/nation/time, etc.

Back to Ballast: within any large group of people there is a lot of variety in personalities, reactions to the world, etc. It would be impossible to prove that a certain character trait does not exist or has never existed in a given group, as portrayed (sp?) in a movie.
Have not seen Ballast yet. If I end up not liking it, it won’t be for the fact that a “white” director made it even though it’s about “black” people. Say NO to segregation in art making ya’ll.

For the Spout post & all the comments, go here.

- Sujewa

Christmas Eve controversial, fun discussion - 1 of the best American indie filmmakers - Amir Motlagh

Inside the Arthouse ep 2

Full Movie - SNEAK PREVIEW - Cosmic Disco Detective Rene And The Mystery Of Immortal Time Travelers

NEW - COSMIC DISCO DETECTIVE RENE (2023) - TRAILER!

The Secret Society For Slow Romance (2022) - available to rent as a new release starting January 1

Werewolf Ninja Philosopher at Vimeo VOD

Popular Posts

Info, trailer, clips, opening scene - new feature doc - The Last Days of Joseph Koch Comics Warehouse (2025) - movie coming out on Sun on YouTube!

* Watch movie here (or above at top of page, starting 11 AM EST 7/20 Sun) -  https://youtu.be/De6AXHsD5d0?si=QoqLZAJlJM-NmoBv * Final trailer:  * The subject of the doc - Joseph Koch Comics Warehouse in Sunset Park, Brooklyn - will be open to the public daily 12-7 PM until the end of July. After that, after 35+ years, the warehouse closes. Visit them at:  206 41st Street, 2nd Floor Between 2nd & 3rd Avenue Sunset Park, Brooklyn 718-768-8571 12-7 PM daily, until end of July Website -  https://kochcomics.com/ Lots of amazing deals there (over 300K+ items for $1 they say). On to the documentary - it officially comes out on Sun - on YouTube (but may be available to view earlier). I am wrapping up work on it now.  Will post link at this blog when the movie is out (UPDATE - link - https://youtu.be/De6AXHsD5d0?si=QoqLZAJlJM-NmoBv ). The doc will be 1 hour and 13 mins long - and will feature: - Intro and notes by filmmaker - A tour of the warehouse in its last day...

The case for using AI for indie film reviews (if tech is developed to be able to write good reviews)

Regardless of how it is presented to the public, everything in US film (and probably worldwide) - Hollywood and indie - is about money.  If you have the money, you can make and release films, buy ads in publications, and get reviews.  There are 200+ reviews for a mediocre Hollywood movie now at Rotten Tomatoes site - for the new Fantastic Four movie. At the same time there were less than 10 reviews for an indie movie that was playing at IFC Center in NYC last week. Outside of even IFC runs, there are 100s of indie movies - fiction features and doc features - that come out on VOD and YouTube every week these days that do not get reviewed and do not get any articles written about them. With some effort I and many other indie filmmakers are able to get some reviews for our movies. However, the vast majority of new indie films are not reviewed. Film is art, it is easier to make and release films now than it was in the past, and all films deserve reviews and articles about them. ...

Cosmic Disco Detective Rene (2023) Full Movie + The Last Days of Joseph Koch Comics Warehouse (2025) feature documentary, full movie

    *  

Reading Material

Indie Film Blogger Road Trip