Tribeca Dispatch: at last, Tuesday, April 29

I wish I knew why Tuesdays are never a good day in my Tribeca volunteer world. For the third year in a row, I was not in my usual location for my rotation, and that once again meant I felt unnecessary. Because my supervisor wasn’t around much, by the time I was able to leave, I lacked the turnaround time to go home for a break before returning to the city for my evening screening. At least I found a nice coffee/tea spot with Internet access on 6th Avenue near 11th Street.

Without realizing it, I chose the perfect viewing partners for Kassim the Dream. Ben is interested in Africa and knew who Kassim Ouma was; he’d even watched some of his boxing matches. Patricia wasn’t familiar with the subject matter but has worked with abuse victims for years. They balanced each other out and enhanced my viewing experience.

I also learned that New York City is a small place. It turns out my best friend was at this screening, too, although I wasn’t certain of it until three days later.

Oh, and here's how our subject is doing today, per New York magazine:

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2008/04/boxer_and_former_child_soldier.html

Movie seen: Kassim the Dream
What it is (description from TFF Web site): Kassim "The Dream" Ouma went from Ugandan child soldier to world champion boxer. In this gripping tale of survival and determination, Kassim proves that even against all odds, a man can achieve his dreams and turn tragedy into inspiration.
Viewing partners: Ben and Patricia (and Tim was there, too, although I wasn't 100% sure at the time)
General festival notes: I manned a random desk at the New School for the first two hours and worked in the overly crowded Target Tribeca Filmmaker Lounge for the other two.
Otherwise … You know how if you can’t find something nice to say, you should keep your mouth shut? That might be best here.

Review: Kassim Ouma, the subject of Kief Davidson’s documentary Kassim the Dream, reminds me of … pitching great Pedro Martinez.

Certainly not at first: Kassim, a world-class boxer, was kidnapped from his Ugandan boarding school at age 6, forced to become a child soldier. He deserted the army at 17 and came to America on a boxing visa. Martinez grew up in the Dominican Republic. However, the two share a similar look, a jovial nature that can turn surly and a goofy tendency to call people “Daddy.” In Kassim’s case, it’s his baby son, named for his late father, whom the army killed when Kassim fled Uganda.

Despite his gregariousness, Kassim cannot hide the effects of abuse: pot smoking, sudden changes in attitude, memories of murder, a tendency to blame himself for his family’s misfortune.

Kassim the Dream highlights Kassim’s boxing career, notably his fight with WBO Middleweight champion Jermain Taylor, as well as his desire to return home after a decade away. The latter requires visits to Congress and a pardon from the Ugandan government, now run by Kassim’s former army general.

Davidson’s lensing is simply fantastic. The boxing footage, some of which comes from television, even captures the sweat spray coming off the fighters. The Africa scenes resonate most, though, the crisp blues and ruddy reds provoking envy in even the most talented videographers. Kassim’s journey includes visits to his father’s grave and to his grandmother and other child soldiers, but the most affecting moment comes during a so-called therapeutic re-enactment – staged in the boxer’s honor! – of a murderous attack on a village. Kassim is shaken, and so are we.

Davidson’s protagonist has more complexities than most fiction films could conjure, which may be why Hollywood wants to remake this documentary. Dreadful idea: Kassim is his own man.