Out of Competition review - IN JACKSON HEIGHTS by Frederick Wiseman

FREDERICK WISEMAN observes the almost utopian life of the inhabitants from different cultural backgrounds of a New York City neighbourhood in his latest work IN JACKSON HEIGHTS, which premiered out of competition at the 72nd VENICE FILM FESTIVAL.
 
FREDERICK WISEMAN has been making films for five decades, and with a minimum of one out per year, shows no signs of stopping. His latest immersive documentary is one which focuses on JACKSON HEIGHTS, a neighbourhood of NEW YORK CITY populated by immigrants, minorities and people from various cultural, religious and socio-political background that together give it a rich identity of mixtures of traditions and a vibrant blending of sight, sounds and feelings which is nevertheless placed under threat by the oncoming influence of consumerism, also represented by the oncoming threat of big corporations setting out to take over their businesses and invade their territory with big restaurant chains and retail shops. 
 
IN JACKSON HEIGHTS places us right in the middle of the atmosphere of the film, and Wiseman is impulsive, observant and intuitive. Whether he films town meetings of communities, minority groups of religious centres, the sequences do not feel so heavily evident and therefore there is far less manipulation than in other documentaries that follow a more modern trend - in this sense we are brought back to the direct cinema form of documentary of which Wiseman quickly became a key figure in the late sixties. 
 
But on top of filming lenghty and fascinating interactions, he also constantly walks around the neightbourhood with the camera, attentive to the various events that may happen at every street corner, which may be prayer groups on the sidewalk, LGBT impromptu marches or unusual street musicians.

Inevitably, the very nature of the location and setting makes it relevant also on a political standpoint, especially given the recent immigration crisis experienced in Europe but also constantly delicate topics such as the Mexican border in the US, Lampedusa and countless other spots. 

IN JACKSON HEIGHTS remains loyal to its location, but also obviously sides with tolerance of other cultures and the blending of cultures as well as safe guarding of the small shop owners and community centres that gather its factions together and debate on how to protect their beloved neighbourhood. 

At three hours in length, it is obvious that the film might possibly frustrate some viewers, but their lack of patience has little to do with the standards of the film. IN JACKSON HEIGHTS is another masterpiece of observation which does not need to get technically overly complicated and is subtly edited, unburdened by time frames whilst remaining absolutely magnetic due to its almost musical rhythmic structure. 

It is also committed to being meaningful, willing to truly represent the American concept of the States being a country of immigrants - not only the Irish and Italian immigration by storm of the well documented times, but also the Native Americans who, as the story goes, hailed from the Russian continent - but also a more universal message of brotherhood of man without being obnoxiously preachy or heavy handed. Few people are able to achieve so much so subtly, and FREDERICK WISEMAN is certainly one of those people.