We collect cookies to analyze our website traffic and performance; we never collect any personal data.Cookies Policy
Accept
Michigan Post
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Michigan
  • World
  • Politics
  • Top Story
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economics
    • Real Estate
    • Startups
    • Autos
    • Crypto & Web 3
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Beauty
    • Art & Books
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Education
Reading: Film review: Roots of a Rising City
Share
Font ResizerAa
Michigan PostMichigan Post
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Michigan
  • World
  • Politics
  • Top Story
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economics
    • Real Estate
    • Startups
    • Autos
    • Crypto & Web 3
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Beauty
    • Art & Books
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Education
© 2024 | The Michigan Post | All Rights Reserved.
Michigan Post > Blog > Entertainment > Film review: Roots of a Rising City
EntertainmentTrending

Film review: Roots of a Rising City

By MN Puri Published July 27, 2023 4 Min Read
Share
Film review: Roots of a Rising City

Basked by the sun rising over the Colombian city of Barranquilla, we are given a question: “what’s behind that mask?” That is, what is behind the reputation of the city as hosts of their eponymous carnival? This question may appear straight forward, but director Alberto de la Espriella reveals it as quite the opposite—unearthing the city’s longstanding ideology of being a place with “no past”, instead forever looking to the future.

still 1

Bearing a bold, punchy, and specific title framed as it is, one’s mind is immediately thrown towards the greats of the city symphony genre—Manhatta, Man with a Movie Camera and, of course, Berlin: Symphony of a Great City. But while Roots of a Rising City uses clippings of inspiration from this bygone genre to guide its inquiry into Barranquilla, it is something different. This is for one simple reason: rhythm.

City Symphonies experienced their heyday at the very start of the 20th century, taking the rapidly modernising cities of Europe and North America as their protagonists. In these films, viewers are led through streets, industries, dockyards, entertainment districts and more—all the while foregrounding the recent innovations in machinery. As such, the rhythms of vehicles, engines, pistons, and factory machinery, alongside the strikingly mechanical methods of film production, inspired the makers of city symphonies to riff on visual and editorial rhythms. These rhythms became a staple of the genre, and provided its namesake of symphonies (remember, these were mainly silent).

Roots of a Rising City is not a modernist city symphony, but it is a contemporary one. That is, it brings the format to the present day—sidelining the pounding rhythms of early machines for the probing social inquisition of today’s world. While this shift in focus does away with much of the genre’s stylistic flair, it reframes the city away from stuff (construction, industry, mechanical buzz) towards the keyword of today: identity. Articulating the question “what’s behind that mask?”, a mask that is the city in its entirety.

This reframing is refreshing, yet it remains anything but conclusive. While this question is central to the film, it is actually delivered in its final moments—pushing for reflection. Yet, as someone who has never visited Barranquilla, I was left with little to ponder. This is because the city’s tug of war between looking to the future and searching for a past came without concrete framing. The little we got of Barranquilla’s past was subtly suggestive. Images of distant petroleum company signs, cigarette boxes, naval ships and black-and-white carnival floats came without concrete context. While quietly confident in their presentation for local audiences, international audiences may find themselves lost in the subtlety and brevity of the imagery—especially when not signposted by the film’s otherwise guiding voiceover.

Coming a century after the first City Symphonies, Roots of a Rising City resurrects the genre. Imbuing it with a contemporary, identity-driven sensibility, albeit while leaving the genre’s visual and editorial flair firmly in the grave. Its brief seven-minute runtime leaves many stones unturned and questions unanswered; but perhaps they are to be more illuminatingly probed in a longer project of the same ilk. 

Film critic: Leo_London

Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print

HOT NEWS

4 teenagers ages 13-17 arrested in lethal Pontiac capturing

4 teenagers ages 13-17 arrested in lethal Pontiac capturing

Michigan
July 10, 2025
Royal Mail to scrap second-class publish on Saturdays and a few weekdays

Royal Mail to scrap second-class publish on Saturdays and a few weekdays

Royal Mail is to be allowed to scrap Saturday second-class stamp deliveries, below a sequence…

July 10, 2025
Former UK Prime Minister Returns To Goldman | Economics

Former UK Prime Minister Returns To Goldman | Economics

The door continues to revolve at Goldman Sachs as former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak…

July 10, 2025
‘Milestone’ approach might assist most cancers sufferers preserve hair throughout chemotherapy

‘Milestone’ approach might assist most cancers sufferers preserve hair throughout chemotherapy

Researchers say they've discovered a "powerful double weapon" that might assist most cancers sufferers preserve…

July 10, 2025
Luke Fahey leads Mission Viejo Excessive to personal passing event title

Luke Fahey leads Mission Viejo Excessive to personal passing event title

Mission Viejo Excessive’s offense is Luke Fahey’s now — and it may be one which’s…

July 10, 2025

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sentencing listening to confirmed

The date for Sean "Diddy" Combs's sentencing listening to has been confirmed. Defence legal professionals argued Combs, who has been…

Entertainment
July 9, 2025

Reservoir Canine actor Michael Madsen died from coronary heart failure, says heart specialist

Actor Michael Madsen, who starred in Reservoir Canine and Thelma & Louise, died from coronary heart failure, his heart specialist…

Entertainment
July 9, 2025

The Salt Path writer says claims best-selling e book relies on lies are ‘extremely deceptive’

Raynor Winn, the writer of the best-selling memoir The Salt Path, has referred to as claims she "lied" in her…

Entertainment
July 9, 2025

Fantasy v actuality: Lena Dunham’s Too A lot is a brand new spin on the London romcom

Horse-drawn carriages, picturesque gardens and limitless cups of tea are simply among the stereotypical tropes which have formed America's romanticised…

Entertainment
July 9, 2025

Welcome to Michigan Post, an esteemed publication of the Enspirers News Group. As a beacon of excellence in journalism, Michigan Post is committed to delivering unfiltered and comprehensive news coverage on World News, Politics, Business, Tech, and beyond.

Company

  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • Accessibility Statement

Contact Us

  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability

Term of Use

  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices

© 2024 | The Michigan Post | All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?