Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: MORE THAN ROBOTS [SxSW Film 2022 - Virtual]
The creative motion of the "Community" crew shows that the dexterity of certain shows affect motivations of the participants in different ways. Alison Brie wrote and starred in "Spin Me Around" which played the Narrative Spotlight this year at SxSW. Donald Glover of course is showing the premiere of the 3rd season of "Atlanta" there as well. A different approach (which is, in a way, what Bryce Dallas Howard did) is the doc route that eventually leads to narrative. Gillian Jacobs who played Breeta on "Community" has slowly but surely been building her doc resume. "More Than Robots" [Documentary Spotlight] which follows the idea of the First Robotics Competition is a very specific idea and focus. The doc is backed by Lucasfilm whose Force For Change initiative with Disney helps create some competition and funding for First. The film is both a spotlight for the organization but also an interesting recruiting tool that blends social interaction with math and problem solving for some people (especially kids) that maybe are advanced in one area but not others.
Shot initially right before the pandemic hit, the focus takes into account 4 different kids from different walks of life with different aptitudes but the realization is eventually that people are more powerful at times in groups. The first kid highlighted seems perhaps to be on the austistic spectrum and very analytical. He could have been very successful working on his own but the lure of even a basic human interaction is one that is a basic need in many. Another kid from Watts, California is paralleled at the same school with his competitive Muslim teacher and her husband. It is a wonderful mixture of certain backgrounds all working for a common goal even when certain schools have more advantages than others in terms of funding. Again the same aspect shows the approach. The kid from Watts is a jack of all trades but he finds a purpose that keep him focused. It is this kind of a reinforcement that inspires the next generation of leaders.
The other two First students followed are international, and while most of the shoot happened before the pandemic, its impact is definitely highlighted. While the first two were boys in the States, the other two are girls: one from Japan and one from Mexico. The influence of culture and the impact for them in what they are doing is related via language and becoming mentors for others while also building robots that are designed to fulfill a certain task. However, the girls' altruism and selflessness in addition is a definite highlight but also shows the differences in approaches between boys and girls. Having attended a regional First competition and highlighting students and teachers for a regional newspaper in South Florida, the impact of these events but also this kind of work it influences speaks well for the next generation, especially as we reach closer to the stars. It is just the angle of getting these kids involved and interested and not just looking at phones or sports, since this is a viable and engaging pursuit for the right individual. Director Jacobs shows that while not hitting the viewer over the head but also realizing and understanding the organization she is highlighting. B
By Tim Wassberg
