A Cultural Exposé Turned Saga

Read Time:3 Minute, 29 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
God is a Woman
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Genre: Documentary
Year Released: 2023
Runtime: 1h 25m
Director(s): Andres Peyrot
Language: French with English subtitles
Where To Watch: premiering August 31 at the 2023 Venice Film Festival

RAVING REVIEW: No, not the 2018 hit single from Ariana Grande; this documentary is as essential to the people it talks about as it is to the general preservation of film history. When the glitz of the 1970s dazzled the world, one director from France, Pierre-Dominique Gaisseau, didn't just soak in his Oscar afterglow. No, he embarked on a cinematic adventure to Panama. His focus? The mesmerizing Kuna community. What happened next?

Here's where things get spicy! Andrés Peyrot, the up-and-coming director, gets wind of this mystery thanks to a chat with Orgun, a Kuna native with a flair for directing. Peyrot discovers the film isn’t merely a forgotten project; it's dubbed "Akiko's movie." Why? Akiko, of the Gaisseau lineage, became such a Kuna legend her story grew to eclipse even the director's fame.

Paris, a city of love and arts, witnesses a rendezvous between Andrés and Akiko; their heart-to-hearts reveal Akiko's profound Kuna connections and dreams of reliving those golden days. But, as with all gripping tales, destiny had another script. Akiko’s goals remain unfulfilled with her sudden exit from the project.

The quest to reclaim this cinematic treasure wasn't a walk in the park. Gaisseau's financial struggles led to the film’s repossession. Yet, hope isn't lost. Akiko receives a batch of old reels, fragments of the sought-after GOD IS A WOMAN. French film experts take the project into their own hands and breathe life into these reels, painting vivid memories of Akiko's time with the Kunas.

Peeling back layers of Gaisseau’s creation, Andrés marvels at its beauty and dual narrative. Yet, the film has its quirks. Gaisseau's vintage lens sometimes seemed to paint an idealized image, especially when conversing with Turpana, the wise Kuna sage.

With his unyielding spirit, Peyrot navigates challenges, bringing yesteryears alive alongside Kuna moderns under the radiant aura of the discovered film. This visual magic mirrors the Kuna spiritual ethos of souls journeying across dimensions.

While initially a cultural chronicle, GOD IS A WOMAN morphed into a heartwarming family narrative. This evolution stirred Peyrot and his fellow creators to reconsider the essence of artistic storytelling. Orgun, our Kuna insider, imagines a future where these indigenous tales reach every corner of the globe, albeit with the Kuna elders’ cautionary tales intact.

GOD IS A WOMAN is Peyrot’s interwoven narrative of tenacity, ambition, and cinematic creativity. The story might tread on predictable paths at times and could have unraveled more slowly to do justice to its depth, and I think the film could have added another half hour or more of detail. Nonetheless, it delivers a narrative packed with unexpected jolts and turns. Sit back, folks, and enjoy!

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[photo courtesy of PYRAMIDE FILMS, THE PR FACTORY]

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