A Film Unfinished is an absolutely fascinating documentary about the discovery of an incomplete film created by the Nazis that documented life in the Warsaw Ghetto. At first, this footage seemed as if it could have been a historically valuable primary resource until a second reel was discovered that showed alternate takes of many of the scenes proving that many of the details were staged. In addition, the journal of the Jewish manager for the ghetto was discovered giving even more details about the process. A transcript of the testimony of one of the camerman is dramatized to provide even greater insights. However, the purpose of the original footage remains a mystery.

Many of the staged scenes creates a portrait of life that hid much of the deprevation of the ghetto. The Jewish captives were shown to be better dressed, better fed, and more content than was the case. They were also forced to appear uncaring and cold toward the poorer population. These staged scenes could have served as propeganda to make the camps seem not as cruel to the outside world and to cast the character of the Jews in an unflattering light. However, much of the raw footage did indeed capture the true deprevation of the ghetto raising the question as to why the Nazis would want the true nature of the camps to be exposed.

A Film Unfinsihed presents much of the raw footage and the alternate takes as it creates a mesmerizing narrative about the discovery of the films and of the process of the filmmaking.

On the surface, Mugabe and the White African is about Mike Campbell’s fight to protect his land from being illegally taken from him by the corrupt Mugabe government of Zimbabwe. Campbell had purchased his farm legally. Mugabe began a plan of redistributing land to poor black farmers. Campbell, his family and his workers had been threatened and physically abused when they tried to fight against this land grab. Campbell brought his case to a regional African court and won.

This straight-forward legal battle was, of course, complicated by a subtext of racial tension because Mugabe was redistributing land only owned by white farmers. The story is further complicated by the long history of colonialism. Although Campbell obtained his land legally, his farm was resented by many in the community. The tale is even further complicated by the accusation that Mugabe was not actually redistributing land to poor farmers but to his cronies.

It could be easy to assume Mugabe and the White African is the tale of a white Englishman who faced reverse racism. But the film is much more than that as it raises many issues that are too complex to resolve. However, it’s hard to say whether or not this strategy works in favor of the film. The main focus is on Campell, his son-in-law and his son-in-law’s parents in England. There is some footage of Mugabe’s legal team and the men trying to occupy the farm. Oddly, the film does not present any interviews with any of the black farm workers whose insights could have gone a long way to providing some context for the racial issues.