AFI Docs 2021: Radiograph of a Family
afi docs 2021When creating a documentary, at times it can feel as if there are only a handful of styles and narratives one can follow. It is because of this that when a documentary breaks out of these more mainstream paths that the results can feel impressively unique, sometimes more so than even narrative features that push what a film can look like. Streaming as part of the 2021 AFI Docs Film Festival, Firouzeh Khosrovani's Radiograph of a Family falls right into this category.
A deeply personal documentary, Radiograph of a Family sees Firouzeh Khosrovani reflect on her own upbringing and the history of her family in quite unique ways. Held together by an impressive amount of primary sources from both her own and her parent's lives, Khosrovani is able to build an almost narrative reimagining of events, which pushes the line on what documentaries even can achieve when it comes to narratives. From the inclusion of actors to unique combinations of visual and audio to suck the audience directly into a certain scene, it is hard not to feel engaged by the story which Khosrovani is telling – similarly to how one would with a traditional narrative feature.
It does help that the editing and direction given to the film are rather strong. Dealing with a subject close to her heart, it is clear that Khosrovani is the perfect figure to steer the boat as she finds unique and complex areas of dysfunction and heart to showcase and build on. The film is confident in a sense that could only come from an individual sharing an authentic experience and perspective for them. The editing itself from Jila Ipakchi, Farahnaz Sharifi and Rainer Maria Trinkler is also incredibly strong, as it jumps between archival footage and materials to crafted new footage. It is no easy task to put this all together into a competent package but they do a wonderful job clearly in collaboration with the director.
The one fault to be found within Radiograph of a Family is simply how various subjects will relate to the audience. Whilst there is a backbone of a thesis found throughout the film, which is impactful, there are multiple tangents and moments that lack the impact they should have simply due to the distance between the audience and the material. Ultimately, though the life featured within the film is authentic for the subjects, it isn't the lived experience of the audience and that, at times, can make it a bit less powerful than the film clearly hopes it will be. There are elements that are just hard to relate to and where this in no way ruins the film, it does at times create an experience that is more easily appreciated than enjoyed.
In a time where endless documentaries of quality are being made, Radiograph of a Family still manages to stand out within the genre. With a confident and fresh sense of filmmaking alongside a story that overall does connect well enough, this is an easy recommendation even if it might not end up on the overall best films of the year list.
