The Fourth World (2011)

The Fourth World (2011). 55m | Not Rated

“I like documentaries in general; they provide a look at a slice of reality in a unique way that helps to position thinking, belief, and even action. However, often thereu0026#39;s a typical u0026quot;documentary styleu0026quot; that becomes routine, in which the subject of the film is analyzed for detail and the humanity becomes secondary. Such coldness is not universal, of course, but for my friends who dislike the documentary genre, this style is often what they point to as problematic for them. Itu0026#39;s the old u0026quot;show vs. tellu0026quot; dynamic at play, and when a documentary only tells, it misses the heart of the issue.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe Fourth World has plenty of heart, and it breaks down this concept of u0026quot;standard documentaryu0026quot; by detailing the lives of specific individuals within each of the three communities. If the goal is to make this u0026quot;fourth worldu0026quot; of poverty and slum living real and relatable to viewers in the u0026quot;first world,u0026quot; this film does so quite effectively. Instead of showing the poverty of Guatemalau0026#39;s slums via architecture, dirt, tattered clothing, and an objective eye, this film takes us through the life of one courageous woman who faces multiple hurdles in life and faith. Without such a direct, focused, relatable person at the heart of the story, talking about slums becomes only a mildly interesting academic exercise.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe film handles other slums around the world in similar fashion, and no viewer can remain unmoved by the plight and the success of the people featured. Full of evocative cinematography, focused storytelling, and strategic character development, this is a great example of a film that models showing instead of just telling. Itu0026#39;s a film that can change lives by showing the humanity and reality of other lives.”