One of Five

2002
27m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Here are inspiring portraits of five families, each caring for an emotionally handicapped, or alcohol-addicted member. The love the family members feel for their disabled relatives is eviden... Read allHere are inspiring portraits of five families, each caring for an emotionally handicapped, or alcohol-addicted member. The love the family members feel for their disabled relatives is evident, as the film shows the joy, as well as the burdens their care imposes. Gammi is an elder... Read allHere are inspiring portraits of five families, each caring for an emotionally handicapped, or alcohol-addicted member. The love the family members feel for their disabled relatives is evident, as the film shows the joy, as well as the burdens their care imposes. Gammi is an elderly African American woman with Alzheimer's disease. Her family members are tolerant of her... Read all

Director
- Justin Zimmerman

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

9.1/10

YOUR RATING

Director
- Justin Zimmerman

4User reviews

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination total

Photos6

User reviews4

9.155

Featured reviews

10smariewilliams

Film Festival Awards!

One of Five has received countless awards. Here are a few. Best Non-Fiction Short Chicago/IFP Film Festival, '02. Official Selection Long Beach International Film Festival, '02. Fellowship Ohio Arts Council, '03. Official Selection Cleveland International Film Festival, '03. Best Documentary OUSTUFF, '03. Official Selection Ohio Independent Film Festival, '03. Official Selection NextFrame Film Festival, '03 - '04. Individual Artist Grant Ohio Arts Council, '04. Official Selection Iowa City International Documentary Festival, '04. Official Selection Wexner Center For The Arts, '04. Semi-Finalist Documentary Angelus Awards, '04. Official Selection The Active Spectator, CalArts, '04. Official Selection Colorado Academy, '05. Official Selection Reel Fest Best of the West, '05.

9imdb-4288

A touching look at lives less viewed

Though it's his touch that makes the film, Zimmerman's absence from it - is what makes this documentary special. Zimmerman effectively removes himself from the presentation, whereas many recent popular films in the genre either include too much of the auteur (Michael Moore) or focus solely on the documentarian (Morgan Spurlock).

One of Five's wide appeal isn't obvious at first blush... given its somewhat obscure (commercially) focus, but with buzz-topics from mind-controlling aliens to the plight of the urban elderly, it's sure to jar most viewers.

You likely don't care about the subjects (or people like them) until you see this film. That's the magic of One of Five.

10tdnst4

Grand Entrance for Young Filmmaker

I enjoyed witnessing One of Five as it was presented by the Ohio University. Zimmerman's documentary style is very refreshing as the film's story is told by the subjects, with their own voices, and the documentarian appears not at all. Zimmerman's editing and style is superb, as he keeps the stories continuous and very emotionally moving. The film even anticipates our times of reflection with atmospheric pauses in which there is little 'action' but much information. A great work overall, which certainly challenges our ideas of relationships between all people and our prejudice towards people who we may not have understood otherwise. It certainly has deserved the many awards it has won in subsequent film festivals.

10sdrum

One of Five is as emotional as it gets.

Saw this film at a fest in Colorado. Evokes incredible emotion. Watch it if you can. One of the best docs I've ever seen. Crosscuts 5 completely different individuals for intense and dramatic results. And in the end, hope is restored. Pulls no punches. Does not compromise. Left the audience in tears. And completely, 100% independent. Fantastic work. I hope to see more of this director in the future.

An interesting note: One of the characters in the film has Downs Syndrome. A member of the audience spent the early part of her life working for mentally-handicapped rights. She was very connected to the project. But that was the interesting thing about the film - everyone connected to a different person. The film interweaves the stories together so fluidly that you connect to every person - regardless of your own history!