Documentaries: December

I've watched several documentaries over the past couple of months and wanted to jot down my impressions. Here's the list:

• 20 Days In Mariupol
• The Tinder Swindler
• Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story

20 Days In Mariupol

Source: IMDb

This movie, which premiered on the American television network PBS at the end of November, caused a surge of interest on the internet, drawing my attention as well. It comprises footage recorded by Ukrainian journalists in Mariupol, who arrived in the city on the brink of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. At that time, we could see their photos and videos in the news, particularly following an airstrike at the Mariupol Maternity Hospital.

It's impossible to prepare for the chaos of war. One can't study it in advance, write a script, pick experts who could speak, compile a list of questions for them, and shoot it in a TV studio. In the midst of their country's invasion, the journalists tried to document events in the city, while also hiding from rockets and bombs. "20 Days In Mariupol" is a compilation of these materials, structured from the morning of the attack to the day of their departure. It'd be inappropriate to evaluate it as a typical documentary because it isn't a typical documentary.

The shockwaves caused by the war have triggered economic and political challenges in many countries. Amidst our daily concerns, it's easy to forget that people keep dying in Ukraine every single day. This film is a good reminder.

The Tinder Swindler

Source: IMDb

This movie is about a scammer who manipulated women on Tinder into giving him money. While this kind of fraud is not new, and various local newspapers regularly report similar stories, this particular case stands out due to its extensive scale. Shimon Hayut, who presented himself as the son of the diamond magnate Lev Leviev, swindled hundreds of thousands of dollars from his victims. According to The Times of Israel, the sum could be as high as ten million dollars during the period from 2017 to 2019.

No, these women weren't wealthy. Yet, using different manipulation techniques, he coerced them into doing so. I can't delve into deeper details without spoiling anything. It's interesting to watch how the story unfolds, so you'd better see it, knowing as little as possible in advance.

Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story

Source: IMDb

As long as I remember, I've been interested in Formula 1. I started watching races regularly 17 years ago, in 2006, so the season in question - 2009 - is not a distant history to me. I saw it live! This little introduction might be important for you because my impression of this film is probably skewed. Despite my love for racing, I'm hesitant when it comes to documentaries about motorsport. Often, they offer a one-sided view or even come up with their own artificial stories.

"Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story" is a pleasant surprise. This mini-series is telling a unique tale of how a team on the verge of collapse went on to win the championship. Due to the 2007-2008 financial crisis, Honda decided to pull out of the Formula 1 after a couple of regrettable years with results way below expectations. Eventually, Ross Brawn, who was the team principle at that time, convinced Honda executives to let him take over the ownership of the team. He renamed it to "Brawn GP".

However, this is just the beginning. It takes a lot of money to run a Formula 1 team. The management had to let go of half of the personnel to cut the costs, and the team had no sponsors. With Honda leaving, they also lost the engine. There was no certainty that they'd come to the first race at all. Yet they came and dominated the field, as if they were Ferrari in their best years.

Despite the early success, securing the title wasn't a trivial task at all. The documentary is an eyewitness account of these events: Ross Brawn himself, Nick Fry (the team's CEO), both drivers, various team members, and other competitors of that time. I think that Martin Brundle is the only outsider, but his expertise and authority is unquestionable.

I recommend this movie, it's a product of very good quality.