Black Sun

 

Story:

In this BAFTA-nominated documentary, filmmaker-composer Gary Tarn relays the remarkable emotional journey of Hugues de Montalembert, a French artist and writer who lost his sight in the wake of a violent mugging and went on to reclaim his life and his independence. Combining de Montalembert's narration with Tarn's thought-provoking imagery, the film is as much an inspirational story as it is a sobering study of faith and loss (NetFlix).

Review:

Usually when you hear the story of a blind man trying to overcome his weakness it usually concentrates on pity or a sudden reminder of hope and perseverance.  At best though, most people might chalk these stories up to information useful “in case of similar problems arising.”  The great thing about Black Sun is that it sorta by passes this mindset.  Instead, it asks audiences to sit down and listen to this man’s life, his problems and his wisdom- all without ever seeing his face.    

OK, that sounds boring, I know.  But trust me, if you can put some energy into it, this is quite an engaging film.  Gary Tarn’s documentary takes many cues from Koyaanisqatsi and also from Fog of War.  Both are great documentaries to draw from and each are reflected beautifully within this story.  The obvious connection to Fog of War is in the first person narration.  Black Sun is wrapped around the story of Hugues de Montalembert and we hear it through his own words.  There are no other interviews, no other voices, no title screens, just Montalembert’s voice as your guide.  And thankfully, his voice is actually quite engaging, carrying with it the depth and sincerity of an old storyteller.    

The elements of Koyaanisqatsi are a little bit harder to appreciate for the casual film viewer.  Here, Tarn takes seemingly random images (of New York, of New Yorkers, monks, etc) to complement the narration.  If you don’t pay attention, these images seem quite random and pointless, and indeed, even when you do pay attention they seem quite out of context for long stretches of the film.  On top of this randomness, all sound that should be emanating from these images are cut out.  It’s as if  Black Sun has robbed us of sound to spite us audience members that can see.    

But here is where the efforts of the audience pay off.  If you stay focused, you start to see meaning in these images.  The New York scenes suddenly click into a mass of streaming people to focused, cold and calloused to care about a blind man trying to find his way through the streets.  Suddenly images of the monks performing a ceremony details a community desperately trying to find meaning in life while also enjoying it.  The images click and they resonate much louder and for much longer.  In this way, Black Sun is almost identical to Koyaanisqatsi.    

But it is not identical to Koyaanisqatsi either.  It is not just an experience meant to be absorbed, but one that also demands action.  What that action is will most likely vary from person to person, but the call is quite clear and precise.  So don’t be surprised if you find yourself making a commitment to change… even before you truly understand what you saw.

Reviewed by Matthew Abshire for Documentary Film Online on September 01, 2009

In Conclusion: