McMahonFilmAnnotation8

Burning in the Sun, Cambria Matlow, 2010
 * 1. Title, director and release year?**

This film focuses on the aspect of making electricity a basic human right in all parts of the world. In doing so, education can increase which in turn will directly affect the county. As more people become educated, more technical jobs become available. As more technical jobs become available, the more advanced the country can become by means of production and quality of life. However, this is only the big picture of the documentary. The bulk of the film actually focuses on the production of solar panels in Mali. Daniel want to use his skills and talents in order to make his country a better place and get rich by doing it. His big plan is to demystify solar panels and show that they are able to be produced cheaply and locally. With the help of an eccentric physicist to provide all of the training and technical knowledge on the project, Daniel thinks that he can accomplish this task. The amazing thing is that he does. By buying broken or rejected solar panels from large corporations such as Shell, Daniel was able to cut down significantly on the cost of solar panels. In the end, his final product was priced around $200. With a little bit of elbow grease, he was able to make very professional looking panels for the people in nearby villages who had never had a constant source of power before in their lives. By providing them with lighting and water pumps,
 * 2. What is the central argument or narrative of the film?**

The narrative is made by following Daniel around his daily life. We see him singing along a car ride, working in the sun, hunched over, depressed with a beer. It is a total emotional rollercoaster to watch one man’s journey to try and help out thousands of people. Proper statistics for graduation rates, electricity availability, and solar panel functions were provided.
 * 3. How is the argument or narrative made and sustained? How much scientific information is provided, for example? Does the film have emotional appeal?**

The film drew out politics by examining how Mali didn’t have the infrastructure to allow electricity to all of its people. The technology was only available from other countries at a very high cost, so it was mostly not purchased. When these technologies were made available, the graduation rates in nerby villages skyrocketed to over 90% which is quite amazing. All of this together leads to an examination of economics, education, and technology.
 * 4. What sustainability problems does the film draw out?**
 * Political? Legal? Economic? Technological? Media and Informational?**
 * Organizational? Educational? Behavioral? Cultural? Ecological?**

I found the graduation rates of the children to be the most compelling part of this film. These small villages are mostly farming communities and the children there can’t go to school because they have to stay home and help with the farm. As such, many children blew off school leading to a graduation rate of only 20%. After lights were installed, the children were able to work at night, so their grades drastically improved. Education is, in my opinion, the most valuable resource and seeing these children be able to achieve proper education was quite fulfilling.
 * 5. What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why?**

I was not entirely convinced with the solution of using broken solar panels. Eventually, the corporations will catch on and start charging more for the panels and the market will become unsustainable once again, won’t it? I mean, if India or China is trying to buy them by the thousands, what chances to developing nations really have of keeping the prices within their reach. I guess it will always be a cheaper alternative to regular solar panels, but still.
 * 6. What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by? Why?**

The film best addresses those of us who live far away from poverty. Those of us that don’t have to worry about the lack of water, food, education, or lights. It was meant to make us think about all of the things that we take for granted. To take it one step further, it showed us that we can help or get involved very easily. All that these nations need to get out of poverty is a little help by those who already have the technical knowledge and training.
 * 7. What audiences does the film best address? Why?**

To enhance the educational value, the exact functioning and science behind the solar panels could have been provided. I have a general understanding of how they work, but a brief explanation would have been nice. Then all of the talk about angles, shadowing, etc. in the movie could have been better understood and therefore appreciated.
 * 8. What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental educational value?**

Other countries in the world are in dire need of our help and it would only take a little bit of our time to make a huge impact on their lives. Volunteering or sending basic supplies to those in countries like Daniel who are trying to improve the living conditions is a simple way to make a difference. In the film, one student in the US even went to Mali to assist in the making and installation of the panels. Such experiences would not only be morally fulfilling to those who go on them, but also culturally education improving the sense of brotherhood around the world.
 * 9. What kinds of action and points of intervention are suggested by the film? If the film itself does not suggest corrective action, describe actions that you can imagine being effective.**

So, I still wasn’t completely convinced that NYC could have such a thriving local organic community since it is in the middle of the largest US city. Being from rural Tennessee, I guess I always assumed that cities just weren’t capable of such achievements. [] I then went onto one of the main problems that I had with the movie, the lack of depth in the US public school system. This article gave me all the information that I was looking for. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/04/AR2010030404039.html
 * 10. What additional information has this film compelled you to seek out? (Provide at least two supporting references.)**