With the crowning of Song from the Forest by Michael Obert, the jury chose a poetic film essay that combines a very personal account with reflection on our culture. Samedi is a 13-year-old Bayaka Pygmy from Central Africa who here travels to his American father's homeland for the first time.
Perhaps the most amazing thing is what the producer told me after the performance. After the New York adventure, father and son returned to Africa. Samedi then trekked deep into the jungle there with his mother for weeks. After returning to his tribe, he never mentioned America again.
This is what the jury says: "With a lush sound design, tender images, and intimate access, this film explores the legacy of an aging man immersed deep in a rainforest community, where he has recorded thousands of hours of music. By tracing his journey back to the city with his young son, this film poetically asks: as the world changes around us, what do we leave behind? The jury gives the prize for the best Feature length documentary to Song from the Forest By Michael Obert."
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