Thursday, February 23, 2017

Short Film Review: "4.1 Miles" (2016)

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Movie"4.1 Miles"
Director: Daphne Matziaraki
Year: 2016
Rating: ---
Running Time: 26 minutes

On the Greek island of Lesbos, the coast guard must rescue thousands of refugees whose boats have started sinking.

"4.1 Miles" is a documentary short directed by Daphne Matziaraki. This is one of two Oscar nominated documentaries this year dealing with the crisis of refugees and immigrants fleeing their homes in order to find a safer place to exist. The other film that deals with this issue is the feature length documentary "Fire at Sea," which has garnered widespread critical praise, but is a documentary we found unfocused and boring. In 20 short minutes, "4.1 Miles" manages to paint a more comprehensive, superior picture than in the two hour run time of "Fire at Sea." This short truly displays the peril and tragedy refugees fleeing war-torn lands face in vast, depressing, harrowing detail. There is even a moment where we see a few Lesbos natives debating the strain on the infrastructure the influx of thousands of refugees may put on their small island in a country that has had severe economic problems in the last few years.

This is an emotional, sobering short showing the lengths many people go through to escape their horrendous situations, and that there are people out there willing to help above all else, even when it is often too painful to bear. The people helping and the refugees fleeing may be from different countries, but those willing to help understand we are all human beings, and that humans should do their best to aid each other regardless of race, creed, or government flag. A must see short film!!

My Rating: 8.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 8/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.9/10

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