Part of The Oregonian's team coverage of Week 2 of the Portland International Film Festival:
"The Island President"
Jon Shenk's documentary on climate change and its awkward intersection with politics is itself in an awkward position: It could use a new postscript before it officially hits theaters. Its subject -- Maldives political prisoner turned Maldives president turned environmental activist Mohamed Nasheed -- resigned his office this month under reported duress, his country wracked by protests and conflict between its military and police.
Shenk follows (and frankly sort of worships) the charismatic Nasheed in his 2009 salad days -- shortly after he won the presidency of his island nation from 30-year autocrat Maumoon Abdul Gayoom as a democratic reform candidate. The doc's first 20 minutes, detailing Nasheed's journey from prison to power, are by far its most compelling.
The doc turns into a less-compelling, medicinal rallying cry after Nasheed launches an initiative to make Maldives carbon-neutral to draw attention to the risk of rising sea levels swallowing his country, then fights superpower bureaucrats for consensus at the 2009 UN climate conference in Copenhagen.
Radiohead contributes to the soundtrack.
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B-minus; United States; 101 minutes. Showtimes:
- 3:15 p.m. Saturday 2/17, World Trade Center Theater
- 6:15 p.m. Friday 2/24, World Trade Center Theater
Portland International Film Festival reviews: Week 2 (The Oregonian, Feb. 16, 2012)
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