Name: Malni: Towards the Ocean, Towards the Shore
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2021-04-02
Duration: 1 h 22 min
Rating: 6.6
Cast: Jordan Mercier, Sweetwater Sahme, Sky Hopinka

"A long way he comes, a long way she goes, across the ocean, across the land. As he says goodbye, she says hello. They meet in this middle place, somewhere between now and nowhere."

This is not a documentary in the typical sense as ostensibly it doesn't have a specific agenda, but it was so gentle in the way it immersed me into the rhythms and lives of Chinookan people of the Pacific Northwest that I was fully entranced. The film quietly offers a perspective shift as it shows people talking about their lives, keeping customs alive, and speaking to philosophical beliefs. Running through it like a river is a deep sense of connectedness to the past, to nature, and to the future. In this way it is a holistic worldview, as opposed to typical western individualism and focus on gratifying the ego in the here-and-now.

It could be said that this feels like a home movie at times, with camera movements that seem awkward, which may put viewers off. I found charm even in that, feeling a sense of being invited into this world, like putting us at the "New Beginning" communal drum/chant performance that was organic and powerful. And at other times, the camera work evoked a sense of contemplation, holding shots on things like ocean waves or fire crackling in a pit, or dreaminess, like the 360 degree swirl and seeing the colors of the forest, out of focus, and hearing the waterfall. My god, speaking of which, the greens and yellows in the forest were gorgeous. It was so beautiful seeing these hikes in the Columbia River Gorge, a favorite area of mine, including the trail behind the Ponytail Falls at the end, which brought back memories.

When the people in this film are with nature, they reflect on gratitude, not needing to say much, mortality (and not knowing how much time we have), and quiet observations of what's around them. Even when playing drums, expressed is a sentiment that they're doing it for those who can't, which I took to mean the dead, but could include others among the living. However, this is not just ethereal philosophizing, disconnected from the realities of life. We hear a man talk about growing his hair long like his ancestors, and how he heard racist comments when younger, and a woman talk about her struggle with alcohol in high school. The same man sings a healing song to his son that he knows goes back (at least) to his grandfather's grandfather, and the woman (who is pregnant) talks about giving birth in the room that her grandmother died in during hospice care, completing a circle of life.

It's so important to hear these voices, and to get this representation. Great stuff, and one to check out.

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

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Malni: Towards the Ocean, Towards the Shore

A documentary circling the origin of the death myth from the Chinookan people in the Pacific Northwest.

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Malni: Towards the Ocean, Towards the Shore

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