Le Marchand

This is not a documentary made for a mass market. Pearl Jams songs says " I don't question our existence, I just question our modern needs." By Western standards of living, these people live in poverty and manual labor must be exhausting. While they don't have many choices, they seem to have everything they need. Are they happy? That is the main question, but the documentary is too short to answer it.

Without any need for a voice-over narration, this short (23 min) film follows a Georgian trader into rural Georgia where he trades tat and throwaway trash with the locals for what is effectively the currency of potatoes. That's it.

But that description tells you nothing about the stunning 'old world' poverty of the rural people he visits, or indeed if their incredible wide-eyed wonder when they see his tatty almost worthless wares, as if he had shown them true wonders and rare jewels.

Others have said it here; this is an eye-opener, in so many ways. Watch it (on Netflix). It will show you a part of Europe you probably had no idea still existed in the 20th, let alone in the 21st century. Brilliant, simple, filmmaking. Bravo!

22 minutes of putting your life in perspective.

Take your pick:

• The old lonely lady that just wanted a grater
• The eyes of amazement of 2 kids rifling through random objects
• The old man who just wanted to escape the village

These people will pull at your heart strings. Potatoes as a currency is something I had only ever heard of from Stalin-era Russia. I didn't realise this was still very much a way of life in rural areas of Georgia.

Great little documentary that could've easily been longer, albeit super depressing as it is.

This documentary offers a bleak look at poverty by following a trader and his work in the small villages of the Republic of Georgia. Although one could argue the style is slow and boring, it is employed to reflects the mundane, hard and dream-crushing nature of poverty and the villagers simple existence. The directors juxtaposition of the joy and childhood and the harsh reality of adulthood in these community creates a surprising emotional depth to the short documentary format.

Naturally it will not resonate with everyone with such a simple style and subject matter, but give it 23 minutes of your time and be pleasantly surprised.

The trader follows a trader in a small town in the Republic of Georgia, Selling objects for potatoes. This documentary was directed by Tamta Gabrichidze, this is his first film.

I didn't know what to expect when I turned this on. What i got was a small glimpse at poverty and the dreams that were crushed by the situation that these people are in. This documentary is only 23 minutes, so it doesn't exactly take time out someone's day, but it made me feel so lucky for what i have. the direction sutile but also beautiful. There are now overhead shot or narration. But there are beautiful stills and long takes, especially near the end.

If I was to nitpick though I found that somethings are lingered on a bit to much.

Otherwise watch this, It is defiantly worth 23 minutes of your life.

9/10