Broadway Black Sea

Broadway Black Sea

***

Reviewed by: Keith Hennessey Brown

Broadway. Black Sea presents a kaleidoscopic portrait of a Black Sea resort over the course of one holiday season.

Largely devoid of authorial comment or exposition, the filmmakers are content to simply glide around the campsites, beaches and fairgrounds, inhaling the diverse sights and sounds on offer.

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Other than the inevitable cultural differences, such as the public toilets whose hygiene standards would put Trainspotting's "worst toilet in the world" to shame, or the prevalence of attractions, which would breach animal welfare regulations here, ultimately a sameness emerges. The world of karaoke, disco dancing and constructions in the sand could just as easily be Blackpool or Benidorm.

Broadway. Black Sea is neither good, nor bad. Just average. Compare it to the somewhat similarly themed, and utterly brilliant, Man With A Movie Camera, whose formal inventiveness and reflexive intelligence this sadly lacks, and you'll see what I mean.

Reviewed on: 10 Aug 2002
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Documentary about a Black Sea holiday locale over one summer season.

Director: Vitali Manski

Year: 2002

Runtime: 86 minutes

Country: Germany/Russia/Czech Republic

Festivals:

EIFF 2002

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