When garbage is music to the ears
Brad Allgood
Deep in the rain forest of Nicaragua live the Mayangnas, a ‘people of the mist’. The music of this isolated forest people had never before been recorded by sound engineers. The first expedition that set out on the task was followed by Brad Allgood. The filmmaker recalls their venture into the region known ominously as Mosquito Coast. Their dug-out canoe would get stuck in the river as darkness spread, and the only option was to sleep in a house on the steep, muddy river bank, below which 26 pigs squealed in mortal terror of two jaguars crouching atop a jungle tree. “We managed to sleep about 10 minutes,” Brad marvels.
Then there was the time, again in the Nicaraguan rain forest, when a type two hurricane flew about in fury all around them, bringing down trees. The team managed to escape and recorded the adventure on the next film Brad would be bringing out: Patrol, the story of the Rama Indians fighting for their traditional territory against infringing cattle ranchers.
Brad Allgood is happy to share these tales of adventure, here in Colombo as part of the American Film Showcase, the film diplomacy programme of the USA’s State Department. This is the first time the programme is visiting Sri Lanka, Jennifer Phan of the AFS says, and they wish to highlight Brad’s highly acclaimed movie, Landfill Harmonic.
Brad, despite a gruff ginger beard and mustache, is gentle and handsome. He had always had a deep interest in behaviour change, and was in public health communications when he stumbled upon the idea of filmmaking as a concrete way to affect behaviour change.
Standing out in Brad’s filmography is the unusual film Landfill Harmonic. It is the story of the recycled orchestra of Cateura, a small community outside the capital city of Asunción, Paraguay. The instruments they play are entirely made from garbage. It is the kind of story that filmmakers crave, but takes a rare eye to hunt down. “Both entertaining and educational”, it looks at the power of music as a tool for transformation, as well as the message of believing in yourself, not giving up your dreams, and making the most out of what you have in life.
Brad calls the movie an ‘audience pleaser’ with a playfully affectionate smile. It had a great reception worldwide, appealing to many demographics: children, adults, students, teachers. For Brad it was a great source of inspiration, while he was making it and afterwards. Motivating, entertaining ‘and fun, funny, heart warming- with surprises and twists”, the movie has gone around the world through 200 odd festivals- “I honestly can’t remember exactly how many,” Brad smiles apologetically.
It gave him the signal honour of winning the Humanitas Prize for 2016, an accolade that celebrates television programmes and films that tell stories that change the world. Landfill Harmonic in fact beat Citizenfour, the 2015 Academy winner for best documentary feature.
However, his favourite film was one he did in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Titled The Story of Abby and Kyalu, the film chronicled the story of a husband and wife abducted by rebels in 2008. Abby was forced into hard labour and Kyalu, his wife, was raped, and had a child as a result. Once they returned home, Abby sent Kyalu away. The film records how, through a group therapy programme, Abby was then able to change his behaviour. It turned out to be a touching story with moving emotions.
Brad’s filmography makes for a long list, including such unique works as My Village, My Lobster on the indigenous lobster divers in Nicaragua. They address diverse issues, and not just the ‘burning’, urgent ones. One film in the pipeline for example is on Doc Severinsen, the band leader from Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, still playing the trumpet and touring at 91 years. Exploring his life through his music career, “the film is about how to live a vibrant life to the end.”
Brad says he would like to move from the niche of documentary and feature films to narrative films. The transition would be slow though. His advice to novice filmmakers is that ‘in the end, it all comes down to storytelling.” By watching films you enjoy and reading books about stories, you learn to craft a sound story. Practise, and find people who are doing what you want to be doing; shadow them; find a mentor. Find like-minded people, work together and don’t give up. Work hard and put in the effort and you can make it happen.” Just as, after harrowing journeys into the heart of wild Nicaragua or the concrete jungles of Paraguay, he and his team would come up with movies which were to have deep social impact the world over.
Brad Allgood’s acclaimed film Landfill Harmonic will be screened today, October 7, at 5 p.m. at the open air theatre of the Viharamahadevi Park. The screening is open to all and will be supported with subtitles in English, Sinhala and Tamil. Keeping with the theme of the film, there will also be a stall specializing in products made with recycled waste.