| A Rising Tide | ||
| Makarios | ||
| Review by Ross Anthony | ||
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Young, bright, big-hearted, optimistic, change-the-world North Americans set up a school in the neediest parts of the Dominican Republic, where they say the water is contaminated and the public schools, for those lucky enough to attend, fail to educate. This short documentary invites viewers to spend eighty minutes hanging out with bold educators willing to live in a place with no paved roads, running water or electricity. The do-gooders tell us about their motives and methods so that we might be inspired to follow their lead in other parts of the world. We also hear from whole-heartedly appreciative locals. The pace is mellow and laid-back, and the visuals chockfull of melt-your-heart immediately, warm-camera shots of smiling kids captured on film with a non-posed, beautiful-moment, genuine candidness that's sure to charm. As far as funding, the doc implies heavily that it's all taken care of by distributing coffee to one Austin, TX based café called Dominican Joe. I'd have liked the doc to inform more about how that works. Was the school able to put some of the adult locals to work as part of that middle-man coffee business? Where are the coffee plantations with respect to their school? Would they like to distribute to other cafes? Could I buy green coffee direct from them and help support their efforts, too? In sum, it's a sweet documentary. Watch it and get inspired to do something good in the world. Donate to Makarios, volunteer at your local in-need organization, or poke your arm up with a bunch of shots so you can fly halfway around the world to live without hot showers, but earn yourself the biggest, warmest heart you've ever had pumping in your chest.
In the spirit of full disclosure:
1) I'm a coffee-aficionado (I roast my own at home).
2) In my younger days, I volunteered a year of my life teaching in a third world country.
3) I know the director/producer of this documentary, Randall Dark.
So, no doubt, I'm biased. But, I ain't lyin' neither.
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Copyright © 1998-2023 Ross Anthony, Author - Speaker - Solo World Circumnavigator In addition to reviewing films and interviewing celebs at HollywoodReportCard.com, traveling the world, composing great music, motivational speaking, Mr. Anthony also runs his own publishing company in the Los Angeles area. While traversing the circumference of the planet writing books and shooting documentaries, Mr. Anthony has taught, presented for, worked &/or played with locals in over 30 countries & 100 cities (Nairobi to Nagasaki). He's bungee-jumped from a bridge near Victoria Falls, wrestled with lions in Zimbabwe, crashed a Vespa off a high mountain road in Taiwan, and ridden a dirt bike across the States (Washington State to Washington DC). To get signed books ("Rodney Appleseed" to "Jinshirou") or schedule Ross to speak check out: www.RossAnthony.com or call 1-800-767-7186.
Go into the world and inspire the people you meet with your love, kindness, and whatever it is you're really good at. Check out books by Ross Anthony. Rand() functions, Pho chicken soup, rollerblading, and frozen yogurt (w/ blueberries) also rock! (Btw, rand is short for random. It can also stand for "Really Awkward Nutty Dinosaurs" -- which is quite rand, isn't it?) Being alive is the miracle. Special thanks to Ken Kocanda, HAL, Jodie Keszek, Don Haderlein, Mom and Pops, my family, R. Foss, and many others by Ross Anthony. Galati-FE also deserves a shout out. And thanks to all of you for your interest and optimism. Enjoy great films, read stirring novels, grow. |
