Wednesday, November 4, 1998
Thought-provoking film offers no obvious heroes
DOCUMENTARY: Struggle by indigenous population
in Brazilian rain forest has been romantized by media
By Sandy Yang
Daily Bruin Contributor
A subjective look at indigenous populations in a depleting rain
forest is an ideal premise for a documentary advocating the
protection of an almost-extinct culture and the environment.
However, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Geoffrey O"Connor has
a different use for the lush scenery and the close contact with the
Native Americans in the Amazon rain forest. His documentary "Amazon
Journal" is tackling a different approach, in which romanticized,
cause-for-the-day propaganda is sacrificed for an honest if
seldom-seen perspective.
"We wanted to tell a different story, a story that just wasn"t
about the black-and-white issues of environmental destruction,
exploitation and human rights cases," O"Connor says. "We wanted to
try to get to another level."
"Amazon Journal," a documentary that was eight years in the
making, depicts various Native American tribes in the Amazon rain
forest that must deal with the penetration of Western Europeans
into their territories. The film chronicles extreme movements in
the Amazon, including the entrance of foreigners who mine the
tribes" homeland for gold and the worldwide movement that erupted
around the campaign to save the rain forest and the Native
Americans.
For O"Connor, what was anticipated to be a straightforward
depiction of rights and wrongs concerning land, disease, economy
and human relations developed into a deeper exploration into
media-induced false perceptions and unreal expectations placed on
his subjects. Throughout the unraveling of the story, O"Connor"s
camera also captured something else that wasn"t seen widely in the
public eye  a realism that defied the romanticism.
Included is a story about the rise and fall of Payakan, an
indigenous leader who was portrayed in the media as a "noble
savage" and a godsend to the rain forest"s preservation. This
colorful portrayal helped the Native American cause for land
preservation, yet it would be met with unpredicted backlash.
Payakan"s godlike status falls especially hard when allegations of
rape and misuse of funds surrounding this media-made pariah
surface.
"When (the rape case came up with Payakan), I realized I had the
kernel to the story," O"Connor says. "This person who was portrayed
as a savior of the rain forest by the Western European population
… was a hero, but there was a contrasting perspective where he
was portrayed as a villain. When I saw that happen, I thought this
was the starting point for the second half of my film, or this was
the pinpoint to build the rest of the film."
Stills and shots of the film portraying explicit, candid
portraits of the Native Americans provide the examples of the
romanticization that sparked interest by Westerners.
Those drawn to the cause included rock star Sting, who gave the
Amazon and the Native Americans even more visibility throughout the
world via his concerts and even a spot on the TV talk show
"Donahue". O"Connor documented the results of these good but
misguided interests, including foreigners who make themselves up
like Native Americans and hordes of journalists who exploit the
native tribes.
"As I was covering these stories, I began to see that there were
other dimensions to this process," O"Connor says. "The way in which
we perceived (the Native Americans was how) they perceived us.
Suddenly I saw the indigenous population romanticized in a way that
didn"t really seem wholly appropriate to me. That romanticization
became the fuel that drove the rain forest movement."
O"Connor continues, "It is an event that has a tragic element
that in order to empower, initiate and drive a social movement, you
also often have to create (stereotypical) characters. But what
happens once you create those (stereotypical) characters where you
blow an image out of proportion and what happens to the individuals
who are suddenly put up on a pedestal?"
Along with the media issues, O"Connor also looks at the strictly
political side of the issue, taking the camera when he can into
Brazilian leader conferences and the Earth Summit. Here, he focuses
on the hypocrisy of supposed Native American advocates and the
victory of one Native American leader who would not wait and stand
for the injustice to his people anymore.
"Amazon Journal" will wrap up a 10-year journey O"Connor has
undergone in Brazil. It is also O"Connor"s fourth documentary about
indigenous people in Brazil. His previous film, "At the Edge of
Conquest: The Journal of Chief Wai-Wai" received an Academy Award
nomination in 1993.
Although most filmmakers would hope the audience gets their
message, O"Connor is glad his film doesn"t send a clear message
 rather, it is a vehicle for thought and questioning.
"It"s supposed to push you into the point of reflection, to
reassess everything that you have thought about these issues …
(They) are used as a starting point to move forward," O"Connor
says.
"When I was in San Francisco, I showed it at the Roxy Theater
there and at the end, there was dead silence," O"Connor says.
"Someone stood up and said, Å’I don"t know what to think now. I
don"t know whether I should support the Indians or support the
environmentalists, or what I should think about anybody," and I
said, Å’I"m happy about that because that"s exactly what I
wanted.""
Long-time collaborator, co-executive-producer and coordinating
producer of "Amazon Journal" Chris Caris, hopes the film will reach
the audience emotionally and intellectually.
"I think it"s a bittersweet experience for filmgoers," Caris
says. "I think they come away learning a lot. Some of them come
away angry of what happened to the Indians and fascinated with the
process of contact with indigenous cultures (as well as) the
intermingling between the old world and the new world. I think
people come away wanting to learn more but satisfied with the
journey that they"ve taken."
Those not satisfied can divulge in more information in
O"Connor"s companion book to "Amazon Journal" Â which bears
the same name as the film. Here, O"Connor conveys his experience in
a more intimate style.
From here, O"Connor is making documentaries for the BBC in a
series about subcultures in America including male porn performers
and the swingers scene. His departure from making more films about
the Amazon is partly due to a lack of finance and interest, but
O"Connor feels he has covered most of these stories and filmed them
in a nonexploitative fashion.
"As someone who spent a lot of time filming this, who has
created a lot of unique archive about this particular era in which
we witnessed an unprecedented interaction between a semi-remote
indigenous society and Western European societies," O"Connor says,
"I wanted to make a contribution to this history of representation
that exists and to allow people to reassess that history."
FILM: "Amazon Journal" will screen today at 4 p.m. in Rolfe Hall
4302. A discussion will follow with director Geoffrey O"Connor.
Admission is free.Realis Pictures
Geoffrey O"Connor films Machadao, a Yonomami shaman and one of
the central subjects of the documentary "Amazon Journal".
Alexandre Sassaki/Gamma-Liason
A Raxayo woman holds her child in the Brazilian Amazon.
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