While Middle of the Moment is technically a documentary, the film makers call it a cinepoem, and that is a pretty apt description. Shot in black and white, and nearly wordless, the movie displays images of a couple African tribes, a European circus traveling and performing in various cities, and an American poet named Robert Lax. There is neither any narration nor captions to put the scenes in context; it is up to the viewers to make whatever connections they can. The images are of the groups at work and at rest: the circus performing or breaking down a tent or practicing or just killing time (there's a lot of that) while the nomads help a camel deliver a calf, herd their goats, eat, make music, or just stare somberly into fires. Even the "action" scenes are filmed obliquely: a circus performance is filmed from behind the stage, while a dance performance by one of the tribes is filmed so that all that can be seen are their legs and feet.
If all this sounds boring, well frankly, it rather is. I wanted to like it more than I did. It's an intriguing premise and the black and white cinematography is (mostly) gorgeous. But after a while the disconnected scenes and the many static shots start to wear on you, and the movie ends up seeming longer than its 76 minutes. It's not a bad movie by any means, but it's not for everyone and even the people who would enjoy will have to be in the right frame of mind to watch it.
If all this sounds boring, well frankly, it rather is. I wanted to like it more than I did. It's an intriguing premise and the black and white cinematography is (mostly) gorgeous. But after a while the disconnected scenes and the many static shots start to wear on you, and the movie ends up seeming longer than its 76 minutes. It's not a bad movie by any means, but it's not for everyone and even the people who would enjoy will have to be in the right frame of mind to watch it.
