DESERT WIND
Directed & Written by: François Kohler.
Produced by: Yves Bisaillon.
Director of Photography: Denis Jutzeler.
Edited by: Helene Girard.
Music by: Anthony Rozankovic.
Released by: National Film Board of Canada.
Language: French with English subtitles.
Country of Origin: Canada/Switzerland. 80 min. Not Rated.

It has been widely realized and accepted that men are less prone to psychological revelations and emotional vulnerability than women, but does that justify a feature documentary in which a dozen men strip naked in the Tunisian desert and stand bare before one another, each revealing insecurities or adulations about his private parts? As if watching these men on a 12-day trek talking about their “feelings” weren’t melodramatic enough, there is no real overarching storyline to justify or to propel the film’s action. The viewer feels as if he has somehow gotten hold of some private, voyeuristic home video which neither makes much sense nor reveals anything new about humanity.

Swiss psychotherapist Alexis Burger follows and guides the group. At one point, each man stands around a fire and mentally releases some burden that has been taking control of his life – one inexplicably throws the clothes on his back into the orange flames. The sudden bursts of uncontrollable tears are surprising, but fail to convince. Indeed, some of the men’s sudden ability and need to get in touch with their feelings seems forced, as if the group is overly conscious of being on camera.

What is most monotonous is the invariability of what each has to offer for the underpinnings of his psychological stress – mothers, ex-wives, or children inform each man’s trauma. And though the group is somewhat diverse (aged 32-70, one an engineer, cook, probation officer, doctor) the fact remains the group is still very much the same – all French speaking, no variance in race, sexual orientation, etc. Thus, one questions what exactly this film has to offer – that men have feelings too and can talk about them? Well, we already knew that. Parisa Vaziri
February 15, 2006