Radical Film Day in Bray!

by guydebordisdead Wed Oct 26, 2005 15:09

Why is the lifestyle of consumerism a source of such rage today? How come the privilege of buying goods does not automatically lead to happiness? Why all this emptiness despite our wealth? Surplus approach is to portray this issue from an emotional rather than a factual perspective, shot in the US, India, China, Italy, Sweden, Hungary, Canada and Cuba during three years. It is the result of a complicated editing process by talented music composer/editor/percussionist Johan Söderberg.
George W Bush's famous "shopping-speech" calling for a war against terrorism that deters the nation from the fear of consumption. Castro responding with hymns to the anti-consumerist, advertising-free island of Cuba. Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer preaching that the computer will give us peace on earth "bringing people together" while Adbuster Kalle Lasn warns that advertising pollutes us mentally, that over-consumption is unsustainable and that we are running out of oil.

Surplus main man is John Zerzan, controversial philosopher whose call for PROPERTY DAMAGE has inspired many to take to the streets. "That is not violence. Sitting there doing dope and watching MTV . Then you go and get a job. Just schlep along. To me that is violence," says Zerzan. "We are terrorized into being consumers."

In November 2003 Surplus was awarded with the most prestigious prize a Documentary can get, The Silver Wolf at Amsterdam's IDFA, and has spread widely around the globe since then.

"... This film about consumerism totally consumed us. It used the language of music video, propaganda and commercial advertising as a response to the forces of globalisation. It fights fire with fire. The questions it raises are ultimately more important than any answers it might suggest. And we believe audiences can only profit from the debate that will ensue. For its originality, sense of humour, irony, forcefulness and visual virtuosity, the Silver Wolf Award goes to SURPLUS." The Jury of the International Documentary Filmfestival in Amsterdam, Nov.2003.


"...juxtaposes images and music with great rythm and technical perfection" Il Manifesto


"Surplus is an open declaration of war on terror" Adbusters Magazine


Surplus was recently awarded with two major international Environmental film awards, FICA in Brazil and ECOCINEMA in Greece "The Cora Coralina prize and trophy, for the greatest of all the productions presented goes to"Surplus",..... for the creative way in which it denounces the current standards of production and consumption, especially in rich countries, as extremely harmful to the environment and to interpersonal relations. The issue, which justified an inspired and surprising editing work, is absent in the media, badly explored in literature, and of fundamental importance for the understanding of the causes of the civilization dilemma that affects everyone in our days."

In October 2004 Surplus was awarded with two Special Mentions at Environmental Film Festival of Torino, the Jury statement is:
"Un film che, partendo dai concetti anticonsumistici di un personaggio-contro, sviluppa in maniera dinamica, sarcastica e modernamente aggressiva i pericoli immanenti di un modo di esistere che tutti ci riguarda."

by Derek S Sun Oct 30, 2005 00:52

Where is that Hall? How do you get there?

by viewer Sun Oct 30, 2005 02:52

The start of the film hits you in the face with the riot scenes from Genoa, and the piece with Zerzan is great, but otherwise it seems at times like you're just watching an extended music video. The repetition elements within it started to grate on my nerves and I wasnt overly impressed by it, definitely dont think its deserving of all its acclaim. The stuff with Castro is a bit dodgy too... yeah fair enough Cuba has no advertising and thats beautiful, but one mans 50 year grip on power does not a better world make...

by w Mon Oct 31, 2005 18:48

I dont think surplus is holding up either the ideals of castro or zerzan as anything to believe in, it is just creating a montage of ideas and images cleverly weaving them all together.

by cinebuff Mon Oct 31, 2005 22:43

I'm not sure I fully agree with you. The inclusion of Castro in the film affords him a degree of respectability, that I'm not sure he deserves. There's no freedom of speech in Cuba, no freedom of political association, you definitely wouldnt be allowed set up an Indymedia hosted there, and this film isnt even available to view or purchase there. He may be left wing but that is glossing over the political oppression there.

"Land is no one's property. But everyone has the right to use it, to benefit from it by working, farming or pasturing. This would take place throughout a man's life and the lives of his heirs, and would be through his own effort without using others with or without wages, and only to the extent of satisfying his own needs.

If possession of land is allowed, only those who are living there have a share in it. The land is permanently there, while, in the course of time, users change in profession, in capacity and in their presence."

These words sound revolutionary, they might even appear to come from someone like the Zaps, but its actually from the Green Book by Mu`ammar al-Qadhafi, the Libyan friend of the IRA (and now Tony Blair's mate..). If you've ever read that Green Book, there are parts of it which are incredibly revolutionary/insurrectionary, but I wouldnt hold his model of nationhood or ideology up as something to be afforded speech in an otherwise alright (if not amazing) film. Fascists come in many colours and flavours.

by W Mon Oct 31, 2005 23:21

On that same note, the inclusion on Zerzan surely gives him a degree of respectability that he really doesn't deserve. The primitivist ideology is thoroughly flawed and although John is able to speak very well on the black bloc and the need to destroy the infrastructure he is as much of a quack of poor old Fidel.

The film presents ideas be they state-communism, black bloc anarchism, primitivism, hyper-consumerism, sex-doll production and the life of an punk kid who made a lot of money in the dot-com boom. You have to make of them what you will, it doesn't give you one specific message.

We'll show another film next time, "the take" perhaps. The discussion should be fun, this event is organised by local teenagers, interesting to hear what they make of it all.

by cinebuff Tue Nov 01, 2005 00:05

True - although Zerzan doesnt have the power of a military and state apparatus at his disposal to rule over a country...

The Take is excellent, although I think the message or perhaps the total enormity of the events portrayed within it would be slightly missed by young'uns (although maybe thats a reason for them to see it even more). Not trying to be condescending to teenagers, just that I think they would find it harder to identify with the factory workers who have families, been working full time for years, etc. There is one particularly emotional scene where the reps from the factory are trying to deal with the court verdict on whether they can keep their factory or not (I wont spoil it for you), and jesus, my heart was in my mouth. But let me know whenever you want that copy of it, and I'll sort you out ;-)

I have another one you might be interested in:
http://www.screenclick.com/sites/lastminute/DVDDetail.aspx?Title=Bad%20Cops

I'd say that'd go down well with the kids.

by MadHatter Wed Nov 02, 2005 20:01

looks good, fair play

question: is this anything to do with the VideoActive festival?

is that even still happening?


last i heard it was up in the air.....
any news on that'd be nice

by va Wed Nov 02, 2005 20:24

festival has been postponed until some time in the new year.

by James R Thu Nov 03, 2005 21:10

The Indymedia organised Videoactive film fest is postponed, this is going ahead.