The NFB consistently fosters and showcases film projects from all across the country, and is no stranger to experimental cinema. One of their latest pieces to be released sounds like a bit of a strange melange on paper- Far Away From Far Away, a story centred around Canadian entrepreneur Zita Cobb’s life on Fogo Island, Newfoundland in the ’60s and ’70s, and designed as an interactive mobile experience. But something about this collision of worlds makes for a truly captivating piece.
Written by Michael Crummey and directed by Bruce Alcock and Jeremy Mendes, Far Away From Far Away is an endeavour in “long-form storytelling for a device commonly associated with abbreviated and abridged experiences.” This unique framing is reflected strongly in the piece’s design and interface. Narration carries the story along with video clips chopped into social media length clips, jutting into one another and tapped through like an Instagram story.
Diving into a time of uncertainty for the small Newfoundland town, we hear of the struggles that gripped the populace as the government sought to relocate the residents from the place they called home. Cobb’s home and her father serve as the predominant anchors of Far Away From Far Away, moving through childhood to her own career as an adult, and closing on her own desire to do something for her community with the establishment of the Fogo Island Inn.
Parts of this familiar interface and technology benefit the biographical tale, making the world and lives of Fogo Island seem a little closer to us. Some drawbacks are evident though, as the video clips don’t always time out quite as well with the narrative. Dwelling on a captivating image can mean missing out on many, so it’s hard to avoid feeling a need to rush through the visuals.
The mood that the experience sets is what truly draws the viewer in. The tone of the narration is composed and factual, but there is a touch of gravitas that underscores the story with a strong emotional connection. Video clips that are able to be warped and looked through, as well as the foreboding soundtrack, lend an eerie quality to the historical footage (much from the 60’s NFB project Challenge For Change that served to connect the Fogo community). Above all, the telling of these simple, traditional lifestyles juxtaposed with jarring colour edits and the warped reality of the city seen through Google World makes everything feel both stranger and more understood.
Far Away From Far Away takes a story that may seem disconnected from our own lives and shows us it through the strange digital lens we take for granted. It’s a tale ripe with hope and hopelessness, the endless march of time against people’s perseverance. An intriguing and inspiring piece of history, this snapshot of life on Fogo Island is just a tap away.