Documenting Reality

I recently watched two amazing documentaries. First was Man on Wire which recounts the life and events surrounding Philppe Petit's daring walk across a wire strung from the top of one of the World Trade Center towers to the other in 1974. My parents had recommended the movie and I heard about it again as it won Best Documentary at this year's Academy Awards. At that point, I knew viewing it was a priority and I quickly nabbed it into my Netflix queue. When I realized I could play it instantly on my computer, I was set.
The documentary recaps the inspiration for Petit's stunning feat, the planning that went into the actual act and the repercussions following his illegal jaunt. What struck me most about the movie was not his seemingly fearless acts, he previously wire-walked across the towers of Notre Dame in Paris and a suspension bridge in Sydney, Australia; but for me it was the man himself, Philippe Petit that really captivated me. He seems to be unique, no, not crazy for doing it. He was inspired from a young age, having seen an ad in a magazine for the construction of the WTC. Having always been into magic and such acts, he knew at that moment that he saw the picture in print that he would make it his life goal to walk across thin air from one tower to the next. His sure perseverance, in the face of the legality of the act, training, finding dependable and competent friends and accomplices to aid his feat, and even carrying out the plan when both he and his helpers in the other tower were nearly discovered by guards on patrol as they set up, showed Petit's drive, even when it looked like the hinderances would foil his plot. When asked why he walked on the wire, Petit replied that he had no answer, just because. At first I thought this was somewhat of a cop-out; no, it is not. He did it because he could. Although yes, technically it was a trangression, as one of his accomplices mused, his act hurt no one in the process, and any failure would only end badly for Petit. He walked across the wire because he could, for the simple joy it brought him for accomplishing that feat and for the spectators that viewed this once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. For me, Phelippe Petit is a man who embodies fortitude, conviction, and perseverance. Although his wire walking occurred more than 30 years ago, in a time when so many people that receive the public eye do so for their lack or character, Petit assures me that there are truly unique, and special people, and that although they may appear very different from the cookie cutter model, he too is someone that should be revered.

The second documentary that was recently played in #811 was A Walk to Beautiful, also a documentary. This film focuses on the plight of Ethiopian women who have lost their child during birth and are left with a stigmatizing physical disability and are subsequently ostracized from their villages. These country women are forced to begin work at a very young age, 4 or 5 years, and therefore are not able to undergo a normal physical development and their growth is stunted. The women are married off at a disgustingly young age as early as 9 or 10 and when they have a child they often undergo a very traumatic and long period of labor during childbirth. Often the baby does not survive, and in the process do to the stress the baby has caused during labor, a fistula develops between the women's vagina and one of the excretory tracts. This leaves the woman incontinent. These fistulas can be easily cured with easy access to a hospital. Yet in rural Ethopia, hospital are can be a 24 walk/bus ride away. Many women are left to suffer their plight while simultaneously being shunned by their husbands and everyone else in their village. This situation is horrendous and tragic. However, there is a hospital in Addis Ababa The Fistula hospital that admits and cares for only women with this problem, who are usually denied care at regular institutions if they make it to the city at all. So the movie follows a few of the young patients on their journey from the village, to the capital, during their stay at the hospital and their reintegration following surgery.
Needless to say, the movie was super sad, but at the same time, it was a beacon of hope. It was uplifting to know that medical personnel and humanitarians are passionate enough about humanity and completely non-discriminatory in their quest to provide services to these women. Although I am not sure I want to move to Ethiopia and start performing gynecological surgery, it certainly conceptualized my desire to become a doctor. As one of the physicians that was interviewed stated, "My prize is curing this women, I don't think there is a better job or a bigger satisfaction." He is right, helping people to improve their lives and teaching them successful health practices is paramount.

Well, the queue doesn't get any brighter, my next two movies that are being shipped are Memoirs of a Geisha and Schindler's List.
Look out for more reviews soon!