2023 CAMDEN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
In Uganda, millions of grasshoppers migrate to one place where they plan to mate. The natives, however, have a different plan: construct a trap for said grasshoppers, harvest them, and make a profit off of what is considered a delicacy to many in the area. Grasshopper Republic uniquely shows both the perspective of the people and the grasshoppers as they traverse a path that will soon see them go head to head.
The thing that I love most about Grasshopper Republic are the juxtaposing tones that exist throughout its entirety. When the film focuses on the grasshoppers and other wildlife viewers experience something calming and serene–something that manages to be incredibly inclusive. On the other hand, however, in the moments when humans are being showcased the film is aggressive, in your face, and a bit chaotic. This isn’t by accident–and it’s so important to the film.
It feels as if Director Daniel McCabe wants viewers to choose a side–like he wants them to, by the end of the film, decide whether it’s the humans or the grasshoppers that they most agree with. It’s integral, however, that McCabe doesn’t force viewers in any particular direction, and that he allows them to make up their own minds. While he does end up being a bit pushy from time to time, there’s never an agenda present, but rather the nature of the individuals (including the grasshoppers) sort of forces viewers to lean a certain direction. Personally, I found myself on the side of the grasshoppers, as the moments in which they are showcased throughout the course of Grasshopper Republic are the most enjoyable. Even if viewers feel forced in one direction, even if they believe that they are being told how to feel–I don’t think that they would ever describe McCabe’s film as aggressive. I felt that we were being shown honest depictions of the film’s subjects, with one side being louder than the other.
In order for the film to work, just like the juxtaposing tones of the film, the cinematography has to express two clear distinctions. It’s important to see the titular grasshoppers up close and personal, to be able to see them as if they were human, characters in the film. Grasshopper Republic then does just the opposite with the human beings in the film. McCabe and his team capture those planning to harvest the grasshoppers in a way that allows viewers to see the bigger picture. They never appear any smaller or larger than the insects that they are hunting–but rather similar in stature–effectively putting them on level ground.
McCabe dedicates his time to developing balance in his film. Whether it’s the tone, the score, the cinematography, or something else entirely, Grasshopper Republic is balanced, often allowing viewers to form their own opinions. Grasshopper Republic, when all is said and done, can be a difficult film to process and/or swallow–but it exists in a way that allows viewers to see all sides of the story. I felt immersed in this world, fully connected to the characters (whether human or insect) throughout the duration of the film–and the beauty that McCabe hoped would exist shines through brightly.
Directed by Daniel McCabe.
Starring Steven Mugerwa, Stanley Kyagambidwa, Deo Waswa, Yusef Bogere, Geoffrey Ssenyonjo, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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