When I compiled the list I hadn’t seen Mugabe and the White African. I have now and completely agree. I recently interviewed the filmmaker’s for a British magazine and it’s just incredible even hearing how they got the footage out of Zimbabwe, let alone the other difficulties making the film. I’m also screening the film in London on the 31st January.

As far as The Corporation, I really enjoyed it, and it’s an outstanding film, it just didn’t make the list.

I haven’t seen The Beetle so will definitely check that out.

Thanks for the comment,
Charlotte

Mugabe and the White African is a great film in my books combining a gripping story with masterful story telling. The filmmakers made their craft look deceptively easy because they captured every crucial event in that story, and yet the making of the film was a nightmare. They never spent more than three days at a time on location; they shipped their gear separately. They could have been killed had they been caught; their subjects were beaten nearly to death part way through. They risked their lives to make that film, and also managed to make it complete, artistically coherent, rigorous, elegant.

I would call for a more rigorous list, and refine this one to films that are both great stories AND show great story telling.

I think Etre and Avoir is a sublime film.
I too would add The Corporation.
The English Patient is in the running.
Man on Wire.
a little Israeli film called The Beetle was loaded with grace.
Southern Comfort (2001) remains an unforgettable documentary film for me.

Of course, I’ve updated it.

C

Thanks for including my film The English Surgeon. Could you change the trailer link to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZdgwI0rx3Y&feature=related however as the offical trailer is much better than the PBS one…

Best,

Geoffrey

I will invite my friends.

Cheers