The Project.
"This film contains graphic material," reads a warning at the beginning of this documentary. Indeed. This troubling, in-your-face film documents the creation of the Puntland Maritime Police Force, initially a ragtag group of recruits who need to be taught the very basics – beginning with how to lace up a pair of boots. Their mission: to put a halt to the steady stream of pirate attacks off the Somali coast, such as the hijacking of the MV Iceberg 1 in 2010, which saw hostages held in deplorable conditions for 33 months. The film also offers an unblinking window on the lawless hell that is Somalia, described in the film as "pretty much the most [messed] up country on Earth." The documentary's great strengths – extraordinary access to this upstart mercenary operation, harrowing interviews with people whose loved ones are on board the hijacked ship, its commitment to telling this under-told story – also add up to its more minor weakness. There is almost too much to digest, and at times clarity is sacrificed to the filmmakers' determination to tell it all.
At VIFF: Oct 2, 6:15 p.m., SFU; Oct 4, 4:30 p.m. The Rio; Oct. 7, 12:15 p.m., Cinematheque
Marsha Lederman