Céline Roustan
“You thought slavery was over, it didn’t exist no more. What if I told you I was a slave?” – Digging For Life is the recounting of Thomas Germain’s life story. The tale of a man who on his way to South Africa, in search of a better life that the end of apartheid era was promising, was captured and enslaved in Angola. In his short documentary, director João Queiroga and Germain, credited as a producer, share his story mixing a matter-of-fact narration with a visually sensorial approach that will surely chill you to the bones.
“We channelled his trauma into an art project”
Through multiple mediums, films bring stories to the screen, working to enhance their compelling nature. The story of Digging For Life is inherently powerful, poignant and shocking. Queiroga and Germain were already friends when the latter shared his dark path and soon after they “decided to make a film together”. With such a serious topic, the approach can be quite complicated. The director will want to inject their own voice, without being exploitative of the trauma at the narrative’s core. Which is why Germain’s involvement in the development of Digging For Life was paramount, to allow him to “take ownership of his story”.
“We channelled his trauma into an art project that we hope will give a voice to the many who remain enslaved and invisible”, the director explains, and Queiroga does not shy away from the fact that this is not his story: “Tommy’s experience as a black African contrasts sharply with my own lived experience. The contrast is sharpened when considering my Portuguese heritage…”. The film is a combination of Germain’s wish to share his story: “It’s time to tell the story, it’s time to tell the world”, with Queiroga’s directorial skills and artistic abilities.
“Ultimately, we believe that this story can be the lever for change” – Queiroga on his hopes for his short
Ultimately, the audience is placed somewhat in Queiroga’s shoes as we listen to Germain sharing the story of his past. Most viewers won’t have the relationship with Germain that Queiroga has and I found that through Jesseca Ynez Simmons’ cinematography, the archival footage and the choice of including a performance (by Stanley Glover) layer, the visuals emotionally complement Germain’s voice-over, while also creating an emotional connection to him.
At its core, the film has a devastating story that can’t leave anyone indifferent, but the eclectic approach, which blends different styles, is a true showcase of the power of the film and how it can effectively bring a story to the screen with sensitivity and respect. The more “artistic” approach could have been pretentious, but the editing and the framing create a visually emotional image without ever compromising the integrity of the project.
Digging For Life had its world premiere at Hot Docs 2021 and earned multiple festival selections ahead of its online debut. Simply from a Human Rights perspective, this film is a must watch and hopefully will contribute to bringing positive changes to the world. Queiroga is currently working on an observational film about stray animals in Doha, Qatar.