And what's better if we can share our personal insights after being exposed to a nice piece of art?
The answer is simple... pretty much nothing.
The good news is that since I found out about Budapest's Sunday Evening Documentary I can get my fix of social discussion every single week a perfect international environment.
¿So what is this Sunday Evening Documentary?
Pretty simple. People gather in a pub (Iskola), a documentary is played, a discussion is hold afterwards. Sometimes just by mere audience, sometimes someone related to the topic or someone related to the production is invited to spice things up.
A couple of guys have been holding this film club for the past 7 years. I was told that before, the queue attending each event was formed with about only ten Hungarians. Well, now the crowd that gathers is conformed I could say, at least 40 people every week.
What makes this documentary evenings so special is the discussion held afterwards. I honestly don't know why, but at least half of the attendants leave right after the film is finished... they don't even wait for the credits to end! (which I can't understand... there is for example, a Swedish guy who calls himself an actor... doesn't he understand that respect is shown towards the filmmakers by watching the credits?). But well, once all this people have left, the remaining of us gather around in the cozy pub and prepare ourselves for the discussion. Seriously... it can't get richer than this; every time you have at least 5 countries represented, and each opinion is of course influenced not only by personal views, but also by the different backgrounds. People, from all ranges of age (I've met a kid in high school... as well as a 70 years old there), people from all over the world, people from all different educational and occupational background, all there to discuss the same topic. Once or twice I have felt an urge to hit someone in the face... but overall I feel my understanding increases and I will never cease to learn from this people.
I am still a student... but I have been away from the classroom for too long. At university I had classes such as sociology, semiotics, and ethics among others, those that trigger discussion about society, about the ways that we work, about how we relate, etc. Well, since I came as an intern 9 months ago, my life was pretty much lacking all this kind of conversations. I was not watching as much movies as I should, I was not thinking about topics that made part of my daily conversation at home, well thanks to this awesome guys all this has changed.
This is an awesome initiative. It brings awareness to all kind of topics. It's really hard that by myself I decide to watch a documentary... I would never pick one over a fiction film to be honest. But in this way, I find is so enjoyable that I am loving and appreciating more this genre every week. The art that is held within it, as well as the power that it has to inform and to set a thirst of action in those who are watching.
So if you happen to be in Budapest on a Sunday night, wanting a little escape from the regular party and in the mood for meeting interesting people and watching a little of one of the best forms of art... three words: Sunday Evening Documentary.
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