Tropic Sprockets / The 2022 Oscar Shorts: Documentary

By Ian Brockway

This year takes us all over the world from LA to Afghanistan with stories of struggle and strife. Every film is intense and riveting.

First, “Audible” focuses on a Maryland football team of deaf players. One of them, Amaree has a cochlear implant and can hear vibrations. Amaree, a senior is the existentialist of the group he admits he is scared of the future. The film is a kind of “Friday Night Lights,” it does an excellent job of portraying a world where touch is intensified on the competitive field. Each player on the team is a hero.

“When We Were Bullies” is the story of Jay Rosenblatt and his experiences when he took part in bullying a fellow student. Jay feels immense guilt and is not even sure why he took part in the incident. Jay becomes obsessed. He interviews all of his fellow classmates he can find. Many do not remember the event. But they all remember the boy. The boy is now Dick, a TV producer. By all accounts, a mild mannered and even keeled person. Why was he bullied? The audience is left with questions. The suspense comes When Jay interviews the strict teacher. But she does not recall a thing. Jay is left with even more questions. What does this mean? And why am I so obsessed with this incident? The film is a haunting analysis of the dark side of childhood.

“Three songs for Benazir” Takes us to Afghanistan where a young man wants to join the military but his parents forbid him. His only choice is to work in the poppy fields, which he detests. The young man is poetic and bright, yet he has little education. His parents are only worried about the Taliban. The wall is closing in on the young man. This short compels from start to finish.

“Lead me home” is an analysis of homelessness in Seattle and LA. Homeless folks attempt to live day today. They are Constantly plagued by police and other people. Each look carries fear. In the end, homeless people are just like everyone else with normal every day concerns, just like us. No one knows what the day will bring and at night the forms change. By day the Hockney color of the city mocks the homeless community with the very shine of the buildings.

“Queen of Basketball” by Ben Proudfoot, tells the story of Lusia Harris in her own words. Shea won three consecutive championships in women’s basketball. One look at her self-deprecating manner (with the knowledge that she has bipolar disorder), will melt your heart.

See these fine, sternly made documentaries and travel the world. But in watching these documentaries, you will also realize what it means to be human, having constant battles with the ego and the non-ego. From rich to poor alike, no one is immune.

Write Ian at [email protected]

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