This documentary is the kind of thing that's not easy to do justice to in a short review. That's because the scope of the film is actually very wide. I think that it probably emerged that way naturally as the film-makers set up to return to the scene that they had previous covered decades earlier.

In order to keep this review from becoming a book, I'm going to focus on one of the things that I found the most interesting about this. That's how the full arts culture, including healthy helpings of music, that was the focus of the first video has become a force for change in the modern era.

It's interesting how these artistic people have reinvented their entire culture. They have done so in a lot of ways, but one of the most important is just in presenting their unique artistic views. One of the themes of my novella/short novel Wizard Song, is the power of art to change the world. This video really showcases that same theme in a different way.

Beyond just the artistic angle, it's made clear that these people have also become political advocates, both in supporting politicians trying to create the world in which they want to live and in becoming the politicians themselves, too. I remember reading a long time ago that you should always avoid supporting people who are trying to create a different world than you want to see in the future, and support those trying to build the one you want instead. These folks seem to have put that into a life statement.

It's also about the music, and there is a lot of great music. This story is told via interviews, live footage and so much more. Another thing that they talk about in the documentary is a sort of cooperative melting pot that the musicians of the area create each year, putting seemingly disparate musicians together to create in ways that none of them would have done on their own. That's an amazing thing, and something that a person like myself who believes that varied people often create the most interesting things when they work together can really get behind.

I'm big on collaborations that might not seem obvious. Actually, that's sort of another theme of Wizard Song, and something I strive to do with my own projects whenever possible. So, that's another part of this that really spoke to me.

Again, there is a lot more to this video than I could ever touch on in a short review. You have to experience it for yourself. This is a particularly interesting documentary that I found very inspiring.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023  Volume 2. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.