2022 CAMDEN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
Insanity has befallen the world–and while insanity has always existed everywhere, it seems that in the past few years, things have gotten worse (at least that’s the way it appears through the eyes of many–including the media). Congress of Idling Persons explores the harsh realities of the Black Lives Matter movement, the Arab Spring, and the Beirut Port explosions, and it tells a story of the way in which the world is trending. Some say the future is bright, and others fear that the world is being torn apart at its seams–but Bassem Saad’s documentary aims to shed light on everything that the future might hold.
Director Saad makes some interesting decisions when developing Congress of Idling Persons, but the most unique is the fact that the words spoken during the interviews are often layered. While someone is speaking, viewers can often hear the same words being spoken in a different octave or tone in the background (sometimes making its way to the forefront). There are two things that this practice does for Congress of Idling Persons. The first is to make it difficult to hear what is occurring; hearing the dialogue placed on top of itself causes some viewers to struggle to hear all that is taking place (and I’m one of those viewers). However, it also manages to, if one is able to decipher the dialogue, express how important and meaningful the words are that are spoken throughout the film. If you can get past the struggles of this aspect of the film then Congress of Idling Persons can project power and importance on its viewers.
Congress of Idling Persons is by no means a horror film, but it treads the line of a film of that nature–and it manages to hit a series of notes akin to what you might find in a horror film. The difficult subject matter, intense visuals, and harrowing score combine to create something truly horrifying, and I’m not sure there’s a person in the world who can watch Congress of Idling Persons without shuddering at least a little. If you hate the things that have happened over the course of the past few years, and you believe they were unwarranted, seeing them again is difficult. Or, if you’ve been struggling with the direction in which the world is headed as a whole, seeing everything that has occurred represented on screen, paired with other equally terrifying visuals, reminds the world of what’s to come–and it doesn’t look good. Congress of Idling Persons plays out like a warning shot for the world–and regardless of which side of the fence you fall on, be prepared for what’s to come.
Staying in the same vein–the reality of Congress of Idling Persons is a difficult film to swallow. It’s impossible to sit back and watch this short film without having an opinion, and seeing things that are sure to ruffle some feathers are going to divide viewers. I’m not saying that this aspect of Congress of Idling Persons will turn viewers off, but it will take some time for those viewers to fully accept what they’re seeing on screen.
Some cheekiness can go a long way in cinema–and I think that’s what happens here with the title. In Congress of Idling Persons that cheekiness comes in the form of the title. The idea of being idle in this film doesn’t exist, as the film depicts a number of individuals being called to action, and viewers feel a sense of urgency throughout the course of the film. While the film isn’t necessarily fun, because it’s begging the world to stand up and fight for what they believe in, the way in which the film’s title plays with words is quite entertaining.
Congress of Idling Persons is a condensed look at the way in which the world, and the people in it, is failing. It implores its viewers to understand the urgency of what its subjects are saying throughout–and I think it does a good job of this. It certainly becomes a bit biased at points, and it’s obvious which side of all of this the filmmakers fall on. That will sway viewers a bit, but I think regardless of how you feel about the subject matter, it’s nice to see this group care in the way that they do. Congress of Idling Persons, again, can be difficult to swallow, but it hits most of the right notes along the way, and it finds ways to reach its viewers–no matter how many feathers it has to ruffle in the process.
Directed by Bassem Saad.
Starring Rayyan Abdel Khalek, Sandy Chamoun, Islam Katib, Mekdes Yilma, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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