Popular reviews

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  Review by Joshua Arispe ★★★★

  While many might not believe it, slavery still exists in many parts of the world. Many industries are reliant on forced labor, which can return billions of dollars annually, thanks to the hundreds of thousands enslaved who work for countless hours with little rest and no income. Violence and murder can also be experienced on the workforce for these people stripped of freedom. This conflict is somewhat under looked, but Australian filmmaker Rodd Rathjen aims at bringing awareness to this global issue in his directorial debut, Buoyancy. Having already garnered attention at festivals such as Berlinale, Rathjen details the horrors of Thailand’s fishing industry in suspenseful manner. Sarm Heng plays a young protagonist who experiences this form of slavery firsthand,…

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  Review by CJ Johnson ★★★½

  Making a movie like this really takes guts. It also takes some to watch it; it’s bleak, raw and thematically, if not graphically, brutal. It’s kind of amazing it exists; the passion and drive to produce it is seriously admirable. I’m grateful for it. Tough going but worth it.

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  Review by Mike Kennedy ★★★★ 2

  This first feature film by Australian writer/director Rodd Rathjen, which he based on interviews with survivors, is often a very tough watch.  I missed seeing it when it screened at MIFF2019 (the usual schedule clashes) then managed to miss it again when it got a brief post-festival release.  The MIFF Premiere Fund provided minority co-funding to the production.

  Chakra (Sarm Heng) is a fourteen year old from a large rural Cambodian family and the establishing scenes show the hard physical labour he does as a farm day-labourer to help support his family.  His pay goes straight to his strict father (Sareoun Sopheara) and his chances of improving his lot are, realistically, zero.

  When another worker tells him about jobs that…

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  Review by RivoliPalace ★★★★

  Director/Writer Rodd Rathjen would at first watch appear to be a seasoned film maker but “Buoyancy” is in actuality his debut feature.

       Released in 2019 this Australian production was selected as an official Oscar contender for Best Foreign Language Film but sadly did not make it to a nominated status.  Pity as it would have ensured a larger viewing audience for it.

       Quite often films that have a moral or humane ethic to preach will largely be overlooked.  What commands our attention here is the story narrative Director Rathjen weaves into his presentation helped immensely by an unknown yet highly talented cast.

       What audiences might not connect with is the on going slave trade…

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  Review by cici ★★★★

  I really highlight how outstanding the performance of the actors is. Particularly from the leading actor played by Sarm Heng. He is simply convincing and believable. Portraying the situation the character falls into would not have been an easy task, especially considering this is based on real themes and event. This should be included as one of the must-watch documentaris, periodt.

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  Review by col_plimp ★★★★

  Watchlist Wednesday №2

  Wenn brutale Sklaverei nunmal die billigste Möglichkeit ist einen ganzen Industriezweig zu versorgen, wird es auch noch heute irgendwo auf der Welt gemacht.
  Ist zwar keine Dokumentation, aber die langen mit dem Boot schwankenden Einstellungen, die ziemlich drastische physische und psychische Gewalt, der bedrohliche Score, die wenigen Worte und besonders der junge Hauptdarsteller und der sehr "gute" Bösewicht sorgen für eine eindringliche und hoffnungslose Atmosphäre.

  Archaisches und doch mahnend-aktuelles Bildsprachen-Kino.

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  Review by Zheddy ★★★★

  I'll definitely be looking into where the cat food I buy is sourced...

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  Review by Sam B ★★★★ 2

  Rodd Rathjen's Buoyancy presents a brutal depiction of modern slavery in the Southeast Asian fishing industry, told from the perspective of a 14 year old boy hoodwinked into enslavement with the promise of employment. I'm always happy to see a great Australian production, and I'm especially thrilled to see an Australian filmmaker shining a light on a very important topic in one of our neighbouring countries. The topic is one that needs more attention, and the film itself is a success on a technical basis. It is well-told, solidly acted and presents the narrative with a stark realism that proves enormously effective.

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  Review by Kai White ★★★½ 5

  Buoyancy is a timely and urgent message film with some inherent flaws.

  Some of that is down to this being Rodd Rathjen’s first feature. A fourteen year old boy (Sarm Heng) sets off from his Cambodian village to try to find equitable pay for his work. His father (Sareoun Sopheara) has been hoarding any money the family makes and says that the boy should be grateful for food and shelter. So off goes the boy, searching for work in Thailand after a friend mentions factory work and good pay is available there. Unfortunately, the boy, after making the journey, finds himself sold into slavery on a trawling boat that is fishing for the makings of pet food. Yuck.

  The boy…

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  Review by David Vincent Smith ★★★★★

  This is so well made.

  Totally illuminating and devastating about the current slavery/ murder that exists on our doorstep for what essentially our pet food.

  This film is so well directed. Style totally up my alley. Observational, mature and patient with excellent performances. An important film that can hopefully save some lives and educate the world.

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  Review by Engelbert Rafferty ★★★ 14

  7th QCinema International Film Festival
  Film #32

  A boy stripped of innocence in the vast, inescapable ocean–where the dead and the living cross ways. The ocean as the harbinger of strength and desperation, while blurring both altogether to exact confusion. Survival of the fittest is the name of the game for those who had to suffer the pains of slavery in the hands of human traffickers. Like the Cambodian boy, we all live to tell our own tales of inspiration. His tale–needless to say–has been told by many that it brings us to question whether his story is to merely add to the experiences of those who had undergone a fate similar to his or to phish for inspiration in this indifferent world we live in.

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  Review by ZombAid ★★★★

  Boat of the Dead

  
  A gripping and unfortunately all too real Drama about a Boy who tries to find himself, lands on a fisher boat and learns what it means to survive.

  Excellent moody atmosphere, paired with very realistic actors and the primal rage to be free. The camera is sublime and beautiful, a stark contrast to the message, where in the most vile environments, there still can be something divine in the air. Maybe one of the best testaments for hope in the grimmest situation I know.
  Just keep your head down and wait for THE moment.
  More People need to see this. Hopefully a decent release in the near future.

  A high-note worth mentioning for the End of…