documentary – NZ Film Freak

In Need of Seawater – Documentary Short Film

A beautiful walk through the life of poet Mark Anthony Thomas; In Need of Seawater. It’s an absolute treat of a short film for any poetry lover.

“When I was 21 I wanted to reflect on life, so I started working on my second book called The Poetic Repercussion,” Mark begins.

“Everything I share with you tonight, I wrote between the ages of 21 to 24… it really tells the story of a young black man finding himself in this country. Everything I’ve done in my life, nothing is more meaningful than the experience of writing this book.”

In Need of Seawater is the performance of Mark’s early poetry works, read in the intimate setting of an apartment surrounded by friends. Poems such as Ink Blot Testing, The Declaration, and Even the Sky takes us on a stroll through his life.

Each poem is presented like a chapter, fantastically edited with accompanying music, and re-enactments by young actor Ziaire Mann. Directed by Richard Yeagley, the cinematography is stunning and an absolutely beautiful piece of art within itself.

We experience where Mark’s head was at when he wrote this poetry. Every poem puts a spotlight on a a turn point or important moment during his young adulthood – and we see it through his eyes thanks to his talent for the written word.

I noticed that it’s not only his talent of the written word that transports us, but his ability to perform his work too. I think that’s a rare quality in a writer; being able to speak up as well as he can write down.

In Need of Seawater covers topics such as stereotypes, self-discovery and even the security of a barbershop chair, which provides the opportunity to speak without judgement. This was a personal favourite of mine.

“In this shop, status means nothing; it falls like hair to the ground. At least it should.” – In the Shop.

This is not my first time enjoying the works of Mark Anthony Thomas. In 2022, I wrote about a performance of his – Folded Whispers – and I’m so pleased to have had the opportunity to write about his work again.

In Need of Seawater is set to be released in January 2026. Check out the trailer below, and follow Mark on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

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Reza Abdoh – Theatre Visionary (Doco)

This is a documentary about the late theatre director, Reza Abdoh.

The Iranian-born American artist was known for his large productions and the impact he had on the industry in the early 90s.

He died in 1995 at the age of 32. This documentary explores his life with over 46 interviews.

I am personally not interested in this kind of outlandish theatre, but judging by the six minute promo it looks to be a fantastically produced doco. The lighting and sound looks perfect in the interviews.

The film maker, Adam Soch, is currently looking to raise $35,000 via Kickstarter to complete the post production and DVD release. The money needs to be raised by November 30, and is currently up to $12,000.

If you’re into theatre, I suspect you have heard of Reza Abdoh and understand the effect he had on the industry.

If the rest of the production gets funded, keep an eye out for it in Spring 2015!

Jodie.

My Brother Lives in China (Doco)

Matthiew Klinck follows his brother, David, throughout his day-to-day life in Guangzhou, China. The culture shock is evident, but with a twist.

David is an English language teacher, so not only does the documentary follow the Westerners learning the Chinese culture, but the Chinese students learning the Western culture.

This documentary is upbeat and exciting; a totally different angle on the interaction between Western and Chinese cultures. The environmental hazards, work ethic and business dealings highlights the divide between East and West.

MBLIC2 — English teacher, David, and his Chinese girlfriend

David and his girlfriend run their own English language company, but when David’s not teaching he’s recording an album with a group of friends. The documentary follows the band as they get an investor, before creative and business priorities begin to clash. These ‘characters’ aren’t quite expanded on enough though, making them seem quite harsh and hard to relate to.

There are a few parts where I think the editing could have been snappier, with a faster pace because it begins to look like a home movie. If this was to be aired on television, a re-edit would probably be needed with an obvious climax and resolution to make the footage have a larger impact.

Marketing and branding needs to be worked on. The title, My Brother Lives in China could be made more catchy. The backwards ‘N’ on the poster does make it look like the film is based in Russia, so perhaps the presentation of the poster could be revised.

The entire movie soundtrack is made up of the band’s music which fits so perfectly! The band, Tomorrow Is No, represents the perfect mix of Chinese and Western cultures in a pop-rock genre really well. Fantastic voice-overs!

The visuals are superbly filmed, particularly in the light-deficient areas.

Overall, a decent watch! I enjoyed seeing a different side to intercultural communication. I think this film is just shy of a seven. It is a great concept, but a faster paced version would pick up the slower points.

Well done to the filmmaker, Matthiew Klinck! Sincerely hope you get funding for the sequel.

Jodie’s rating: 6.5/10

Check out the documentary, My Brother Lives in China HERE

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