Redemption

Today I went to a special showing of the Academy Award Nominated Documentary Shorts. Surprisingly, all five of the nominees were very good. Not as surprising is that ALL were incredibly depressing films. After they ended, I wondered how many depressed folks see these five and then begin having suicidal thoughts! Yes, they were that depressing. Now having a depressing documentary is not a bad thing--often the films are about social problems and being depressing isn't bad. But ALL of them being depressing? Next year I wouldn't mind seeing at least one that isn't about old people waiting to die, cancer, homelessness, poverty or dying African children--like this year's crop! But, again, they ALL were quite good....

"Redemption" is a film about a seldom discussed topic--folks in New York City who survive by collecting plastic, glass and aluminum drink containers and redeeming them. New York is one of the few states in the US that offers to redeem these items--at a nickle a pop. So, these out of work folks spend much of their time rooting through bags of garbage on the street corners to separate out these items. It's a sort of win-win situation--as they earn money and items get recycled. The film follows many of these people and I was surprised how many let their lives be followed and how they were so talkative to the filmmakers. It's also interesting that in spite of the government telling us how good the economy is, there is a HUGE increase in these pickers in recent years! It is a very good film. Do I think it will win? No. But it's still worth your time and I appreciate the effort the folks took to make it.