Chameleon Hot Docs 2015 Canadian Premiere GAT PR Press Summary
Interviews Completed Saturday, April 18
Wednesday, April 22 Friday, April 24
Saturday, April 25
Monday, April 27
POV Magazine Ryan Mullins Toronto Star Ryan Mullins Vice Ryan Mullins CJOB Ryan Mullins & Anas Aremeyaw Ana Toronto Film Scene Ryan Mullins Ghanaian News Ryan Mullins & Anas Aremeyaw Anas Vice Anas Aremeyaw Anas (Banked) Strictly Gow Ryan Mullins & Anas Aremeyaw Anas Dorkshelf Ryan Mullins & Anas Aremeyaw Anas Movies Move Me Ryan Mullins & Anas Aremeyaw Anas NOW Ryan Mullins & Anas Aremeyaw Anas (Banked for theatrical) The Watchlist Ryan Mullins & Anas Aremeyaw Anas (Banked for theatrical) Innerspace Ryan Mullins & Anas Aremeyaw Anas (Banked for theatrical) CP24 Ryan Mullins
We Talked to the Filmmaker Who Had Inside Access to Ghana’s ‘James Bond of Journalism’ By: Chris Bilton | April 24, 2015 http://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/we-‐talked-‐to-‐the-‐filmmaker-‐who-‐had-‐inside-‐access-‐ to-‐ghanas-‐james-‐bond-‐of-‐investigative-‐journalism-‐119
It's clear within the first new minutes of Chameleon why anyone would want to make a documentary about Anas Aremeyaw Anas. The celebrated Ghanian investigative journalist is not only responsible for breaking countless stories about corruption and crime in his country, but he does so using disguises and subterfuge while maintaining complete anonymity. He's gone undercover in a psychiatric hospital and infiltrated a brothel to bust up a child prostitution ring, even posed as an Imam. It's not at all hyperbole to think of Anas as some sort of superhero—he even keeps his face covered in public so that he can continue going undercover for stories, often at great personal risk. Montreal documentary filmmaker Ryan Mullins had nearly unfettered access to Anas (minus his face, naturally) and his investigative methods during the filming ofChameleon, travelling with the journalist on high-‐profile busts and drawing on the investigative team's extensive surveillance techniques. But while the pursuit of these sometimes sensational stories makes for riveting footage and captivating
documentary fodder, Mullin wasn't without his reservations. Anas' methods are, after all, tread into some ethical grey areas, and many have voiced their concern with his blurring of lines between journalism and law enforcement. We spoke with Mullins about how the project came together, hanging around someone who gets regular death threats, and the logistics of capturing on film a dude who keeps his identity hidden. VICE: The film is super interesting, largely because it seems like you had tons of access. Ryan Mullins: I didn't think I would. But he was just super open to the process. Of course he'd worked with Al Jazeera and CNN in the past, and so he was kind of open to it. And he wasn't shy around the camera. But it just took a little while, I think, from me going back from time to time and just spending time with him, until he really kind of opened up. What was it about him that got you interested, and how did this all come together? I'd worked in Ghana. And a friend that I'd made when I was there sent me an article because I was looking for reasons to go back and make a film. It was the one that was in The Atlantic, called "Smuggler, Forger, Writer, Spy" and it told the story of kind of a superhero journalist. And immediately, the way it talked about him, how this guy couldn't show his face and got into disguises and went undercover, it immediately grabbed me as something that was very cinematic and intriguing. The craft of it [appealed to me:] to be able to make a documentary that was in part documentary but had this fiction feel to it, like this '70s thriller feel to it. I'd always kind of been intrigued with doing a behind-‐the-‐scenes look at perhaps a newspaper or a media room. Figuring out the cases, reporting, investigating, the setback, and the scheming and all that sort of stuff really captivated me.
You definitely had a very colourful character through which to view that, rather than just a bunch of people pecking away at laptops. What was the initial contact with him, and how did that progress? This friend of mine actually went to law school with Anas—he has his law degree. She sent me his number and vouched for me. First I texted him, and then I probably spent like 20 minutes on the phone with him before I turned to my producer and said, "Look, I've got to just get out there." And luckily—this was at the very early stages, we weren't even in development yet—I was able to go over and do a bit of shooting myself because I can kind of travel as a one-‐man show. That kind of eased the fears of my producer—that this was not going to cost a lot of money. We bought the plane ticket and I went over. It was mostly because he didn't go into many details over the phone. I would ask him certain things and he'd be like, "Just get over here. Just fly over here and come see for yourself." I remember getting off the plane and
spent the a few days acclimatizing myself because it had been a while since I'd been there. But the first meeting was so surreal—he sent me a location, which was his old office—and I walked up this flight of stairs to get to a door that has a finger[print] identification panel. His office is down a long corridor with all of his past exploits lining the walls. It's all very daunting. But I sat down with him and immediately, he was like, "Why aren't you shooting? Let's roll. Let's do this." Obviously he seemed to be open to the idea of the documentary straight away? Yeah, I think. He had a few ground rules: He was concerned with how he would be presented physically. Of course he doesn't show his face, so we had to figure out a way to do that. The way I wanted to make the film was more fly-‐on-‐the-‐wall verité, so a lot of the time it was getting into a different position so I could shoot him from behind. So all of that was kind of sussed out and laid out in the beginning—what he was comfortable with, what I could or couldn't shoot. But after that, like I said, he was really open to it. He's comfortable with the camera, and very dramatic. So right away I felt like I was getting a lot of good stuff, but maybe not necessarily deeper stuff, because he puts on a bit of a persona. But over time, I felt like I was getting... a few chinks in the armour were showing. What was it like going on the busts? There's so much that didn't end up in the film, and a lot of times, that's just sitting around waiting for things to happen. That's the way we decided to go about making the film: it's verité, and we're not going to stage anything. As much as it feels like a fictional or scripted film, it was very much waiting around for things to happen. My first shoot, the development shoot, a lot happened. I remember being there on the first or second day and there's that opening scene on the road going after this guy who'd jumped bail and he'd been after for like three years. That all happened within the first few days. So my head was spinning! I'd just landed and all of a sudden I'm in a cop car driving down this dirt road and guns are drawn. It was kind of surreal. But after that, things just evolved at his pace. A lot of times, I would be in Montreal and call him up to see what was going on. He'd be reserved to tell me exactly what, but he'd have a few inklings here and there so I'd fly over. But he's someone who has like a dozen or so irons in the fire at one point, so we'd follow one investigation that would fizzle out, but another one would crop up while we were there. So it was always a surprise to us what was coming. Working with him so closely, what did you learn about not only his of investigative journalism, but doc-‐ making in general? I never imagined myself as someone who would be using hidden camera footage or making those sorts of investigative documentaries. My film prior to this was a film aboutspecial needs. So it was like night and day. It opened my eyes to, maybe, heavier documentary filmmaking. Particularly with the subjects that he was pursuing. It was tough, because we had this idea about the film that we wanted to make, which was this stylized documentary that was fun, but then at the same time there were all of these heavy dark cases that he was following. So you kind of have to wrestle with that: Are you treating it appropriately or are we just having fun here? Give it the weight it deserves. He's working pretty closely with the police, so how was the relationship? Is the police force on the up-‐ and-‐up? They seem to be relying on his information a lot of the time. Yeah, I'm a bit conflicted about it because there is that delineation between journalist and law enforcement. You kind of want that boundary there, and obviously he crosses it. They benefit from his work and he benefits from them as well. He sees that law enforcement isn't up to the task, so to speak, to fight corruption in the way that he would like to see done. And he's someone who has the means and the tools necessary to go after these stories that slip through the cracks—that wouldn't have gotten looked at had he not brought it to them. I was certainly conflicted about that relationship. You wonder sometimes about who's making the decisions. Did you have bigger conversations with Anas about that? Is he open to talking about that stuff in depth? I think he was more and more as the film went on and he saw my concerns being raised, especially in the last case where things kind of went wrong and the police went in quite hard. Even though the group
needed to be shut down, I think the way in which they went about it was completely wrong. I questioned him on that and the motivations there—was he just in it for the story or did he actually have concerns about these kids? He's someone who feels he's willing to make those tough decisions about—necessary evil decisions, in order to see that justice is done or justice is served. These are kind of his words, but the ends justify the means. It takes a certain amount of ego and, to a certain extent, self-‐righteousness to even attempt the things that he does. Yeah, and I hope that comes across in the film. At the end of the day he does have a newspaper and he is selling newspapers. A lot of the personality and the larger-‐than-‐life superhero figure is about selling papers. He's very intelligent that way, and he knows exactly what people want. But then some people deem that to be sensationalistic. But I can understand how the sensationalism allows you to keep doing the things that matter and that get results. It's all contextual. Like, I have a problem with it—I studied journalism and it's certainly not the way I was taught to practise journalism. But that's what people want in Ghana. And that's what sells. But that's what works. He's kind of created this renaissance of people interested in journalism and investigative journalism, where he's giving talks at schools and he's almost like a superstar. How dangerous is the work that he's engaged in? From what you saw, is he in constant danger and taking the precautions to deal with this stuff? You know, to be honest, nothing that I saw firsthand. But you get the sense that he does take a lot of precautions and there are a lot of security measures that he's taken. The finger identification at his office and he does have a security detail sometimes. He hides his face. And this is based on his past work because he's had death threats before. But nothing that I've seen firsthand. In a lot of ways, he hides his identity for security, but also so that he can continue working as an undercover journalist—so people don't know his face or recognize his face. The second part to that is that, because he's influencing this younger generation of investigative journalists, does that come with the caveat of: this work can be dangerous? He doesn't sugarcoat it. He tells them pretty bluntly that it's dangerous. But also, if you want to make your mark you have to accept these dangers and these risks and this lifestyle. But also that this is just one way to do it. I think he's just influencing then in the sense that his work affecting real change. The president actually changed certain laws in the way that the port authority is run. That was a big story and directly influenced by Anas' work—the president cited that. So they're seeing that there can be this change. And the way he does it is sexy in way, and people like that. You talk to his father at one point in the film. But what are his relationships like beyond work? Is he bound by the job to avoid certain situations? Without getting too much into his personal life, he does go out and he has friends. He meets for coffee. He isn't kind of shrouded in mystery at all times. I think that he does live somewhat of a normal life. The persona is kind of his day to day, but he's also found ways to kind of lead a normal life. Coming back to that rock star idea: good rock stars or actors create that persona for a reason, so that they can turn it off when they leave the stage. For him it's great. He lives kind of the life or is acknowledged as a rock star, yet no one knows what he looks like. So he can blend into the shadows and doesn't have to deal with the other half of that popularity. Chameleon plays at Hot Docs Film Festival on April 25 and 26.
Hot Docs International Documentary Festival: 'Chameleon' (Doc on Famed Ghanaian Investigative Journalist)
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By: Tambay A. Obenson | March 17, 2015
http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/hot-‐docs-‐international-‐documentary-‐festival-‐chameleon-‐doc-‐on-‐famed-‐ ghanaian-‐investigative-‐journalist-‐20150317
Anas Aremeyaw Anas is an acclaimed, award-‐winning Ghanaian investigative journalist (print and documentary), famous for using his anonymity (he does not show his face in public, opting for masks and disguises) as a tool in his investigative reports that usually tackle human rights and anti-‐corruption issues in sub-‐Saharan Africa. His lauded investigative works (at times potentially life-‐threatening) have made him an internationally-‐known figure, so much that in a 2009 visit to Ghana, in a speech, President Obama spoke of Anas and his contributions to journalism, as well as the causes he fights for. And now, Anas is at the center of a new feature documentary from director Ryan Mullins, titled "Chameleon," which takes audiences deep undercover with one of continental Africa's most famed investigative reporters, to watch him in action, dispatching his own brand of brazen journalism. Director Mullins is a Montreal-‐based filmmaker, director, editor and cinematographer, whose last work was one he shot and directed, titled "Volta" (about a derelict cinema in rural Ghana), which premiered at the 2009 Toronto International film festival, and South by Southwest in the US. He was awarded the Scholarship for International Development Journalism by the IDRC and nominated for the Bell Fund’s "Ten to Watch" in new media. The film is set to make its North American premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, which runs from April 23 to May 3, 2015. Check out a brand-‐new trailer below:
Hot Docs: Six films uncovering the secrets of states By: Olivia Ward | April 27, 2015 http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/04/27/hot-‐docs-‐six-‐films-‐uncovering-‐the-‐ secrets-‐of-‐states.html
In Ghana, investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas is conducting his own covert war against evildoers. Canadian Ryan Mullins’s documentary Chameleon follows a self-‐ appointed sleuth who adopts Sherlock Holmes-‐like disguises and James Bond-‐style tactics to crack crime and corruption that outrage ordinary citizens but get too little attention from authorities who may be too close to his targets. A rock star to his many fans, Anas has attracted a rapt audience of young people. “He was fed up with rampant corruption and distrust in the legal system and the police,” says Mullins. “He felt journalists weren’t going far enough to make sure people were exposed and brought to justice. So he went undercover.”
Undercover Journalism In Africa By: Charles Adler | April 24, 2015 http://www.cjob.com/2015/04/24/winnipeg-‐is-‐the-‐friendship-‐capital-‐of-‐canada-‐2/ He’s one of the most prominent undercover journalists in Africa yet no one knows what he actually looks like. Anas Aremeyaw Anas is the subject of a documentary entitled Chameleon and he joined Charles to discuss his highly dangerous work along with Ryan Mullins, the director of the film.
INSTRUMENT OF ACCOUNTABILITY: ANAS AREMEYAW ANAS AND RYAN MULLINS ON CHAMELEON By: David Rudin | April 29, 2015
http://thetfs.ca/2015/04/29/instrument-‐accountability-‐anas-‐aremeyaw-‐anas-‐ryan-‐mullins-‐chameleon/
“Journalism,” says the Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, “is defined according to your jurisdiction and according to the development that happens around you.” Anas’ journalism is defined by complex undercover investigations that often end in coordinated arrests by law enforcement officials. To that end, Anas seeks to keep his likeness a secret. In 2010, The Atlantic’s Nicholas Schmidle reported that he owned thirty wigs. He wears bucket hats or hoodies during public appearances, his face further concealed by woven curtains.He appeared at TED2013 behind a veil of red and white wool, telling the assembled audience, “My kind of journalism might not fit in other continents or other countries, but I can tell you, it works in my part of the continent of Africa.”
Anas is on another continent now. It’s the day before the Hot Docs premiere of Chameleon, Canadian filmmaker Ryan Mullins’ documentary about his work, and the pair is sitting in the fifty-‐first floor recreation room of a Toronto high-‐rise. Anas is wearing a blue bucket hat. Black and blue tassels hang from its brim and cover his face. In Chameleon, Mullins films Anas from behind or through similar disguises. The movie captures the organization and execution of stings against sex traffickers and an abortionist who tricks patients into having sex with him. Chameleon is not a film about disguises; it is a film about a disguised journalist. Ryan Mullins started out studying journalism. After graduating, he travelled to Ghana to teach students to use new media equipment for storytelling. While in Ghana, he also made his first documentary short,Volta, about a decaying art-‐deco cinema. He first heard of Anas from a friend who sent him an article about “this larger than life James Bond character.” Mullins’ friend had gone to school with Anas and was able to put the two in touch. “We spoke on the phone ten, fifteen minutes before I jumped on a plane.” When I have information and I keep it to my chest because of ethics that say I’m not supposed to collaborate with the state, how would the bad people be brought to book? “I was always looking for a reason to go back,” Mullins says. “I love the country.” Chameleon, though it is not uncritical, is rooted in that love. Mullins talks about wanting to portray the Ghana he had experienced, “which wasn’t so much what we see in the media.” Nowhere is this more the case than Accra, which Mullins calls “a cosmopolitan city, a city on the rise, a little bit on the cusp with its military dictatorship past and its fledgling democracy.” Anas, both in Chameleon and daily life, represents this transitional moment. “Africa’s democracy is at a young stage,” he explains. “It would be foolish on our part as journalists to decide to operate differently from what society needs.” In the name of those needs, Anas sometimes works with the police to bring the subjects of his investigations to justice. “When I have information and I keep it to my chest because of ethics that say I’m not supposed to collaborate with the state,” he asks, “how would the bad people be brought to book?” “If we all say that at the end of the day we want society to progress,” Anas argues, “then that should be the focus.” While nobody is openly opposed to societal progress, one might reasonably wonder whether that, above all else, is what defines journalism. Anas has results to show for this approach—malfeasants who have been brought to justice—but with those results come this collection of tautological constructions about ends and means. The main concession Anas makes is that “what is ethic to you may not be ethic to me.” Fair enough: The vagaries of moral and ethical relativism are unlikely to be settled in a penthouse rec room in Toronto. My kind of journalism might not fit in other continents or other countries, but I can tell you, it works in my part of the continent of Africa. Chameleon, however, recognizes that Anas is not without his critics, even in Ghana. “We’re making this film and we stand back from it and we say we need a critical voice in there,” Mullins explains. That voice, which belongs to Ghanaian journalist Kwesi Pratt, was actually suggested by Anas. “I enjoy a good relation with Kwesi Pratt, and he’s a very good supporter of my work,” he explains. “He’s also a man on his own in his own right and I thought that his thoughts were
quite important.” His thoughts, which largely boil down to the belief that subterfuge is in contravention of journalistic ethics, were hardly a secret prior to filming. Mullins says he came to Pratt because he was known for “speaking a bit about some of the James Bond tactics that Anas has used.” James Bond is a major point of reference in Chameleon, appearing in Pratt’s criticism and Anas’ mythos as well as influencing Mullins’ filmmaking. “I thought we could create a cool ambience, almost like a throwback to The Sting [or] 70s spy genre, where the building of the case is more intriguing than the actual bust itself,” he explains. Anas spends most of his time managing his team. “You have to captain the ship well,” he says. Dramatic confrontations are not the norm. Conveying this reality in an engaging manner was one of the challenges in making Chameleon. “We wanted to have this very fictionalized feel starting with the traditional opening case like a James Bond case that would throw us into this world,” Mullins says, “and then we would follow him through one of several cases throughout the film.” Anas is hardly a stranger to being conflated with a mythical figure like James Bond. While his facial coverings obscure his likeness, they also serve as a cornerstone of his personal brand. In a sense, Anas is eminently recognizable, and has plans to become more so in the future. He plans to release a series of cartoons containing what he describes as, “some of the stories that I have done or will be doing in the future so that young children will study them in school.” This is all part of a larger plan to fight corruption by teaching children that their effort can result in social change. “It’s a big vision,” Anas says, “and this Chameleon film fits into it.” It would be foolish on our part as journalists to decide to operate differently from what society needs. It’s not initially clear where Chameleon fits into that vision. It may offer Anas a marginal increase in exposure, but he has reported stories for major outlets including Al Jazeera and CNN in the past. Moreover, Anas has shown little if any interest in serving Western audiences such as those who will watch Chameleon at Hot Docs. “What was good about Ryan’s presence,” Anas finally says, his voice soft as ever, “Is that you’re in middle of this and questions are coming.” Mullins’ constant questions—“why are you doing that?”—acted as an added layer of accountability. “This is not to say that I lose sight of those facts when I do a story,” Anas adds, “but I’m saying Ryan’s presence brought it very close.” That immediacy is most obvious in Chameleon’s final act, which sees policemen torch a village during a sting that Anas had planned. If Mullins hadn’t been there, Anas says, “It would have come up after a week when I’m having a meeting or even a month, and I can tell the police officer ‘Why did you burn the place?’” The presence of a camera does not allow for such delays. Anas has built a career on the idea that the camera can be an instrument of accountability and, in a small way, that idea was validated during the production of Chameleon. “Ryan is asking you the question there and then: ‘Give me an answer’,” Anas recalls. “It brings the reality closer to you.”
Are you really a ‘Chameleon’? Jefferson questions Anas By: Jefferson Sackey | April 29, 2015
http://www.myjoyonline.com/news/2015/April-‐29th/are-‐you-‐really-‐a-‐chameleon-‐jefferson-‐questions-‐ anas.php
For days, the Scotiabank Theatre in downtown Toronto is each night filled to capacity as people want to catch a glimpse of the ‘Chameleon’ as it premiers in North America. Within the first few minutes of Chameleon, it is obvious why anyone would spend months following an African journalist dong his work on the field. The man referred to as Africa’s most notorious journalist is not only responsible for breaking countless stories about crime and corruption, but more importantly has a unique style of going about it, using disguises and ‘subterfuge’. He may have trusted Ryan Mullins, a Canadian based documentary filmmaker with his face. During the making of Chameleon, he travelled with Anas on high-‐profile busts. In the documentary, Mullins interviews one of Ghana’s most respected journalists, Kwasi Pratt who cites the Ghana Journalists Association code of ethics, which states that information should not
be obtained through subterfuge. He however tempers that guideline with the observation that, in a society of multiple cultures like Ghana’s, ethics are more a matter of resilience than they are absolute. Chameleon is a must-‐watch documentary to really understand how Anas operates; smart yet controversial. An onscreen title that appears early in the film reads, he “works directly with law enforcement to ensure that justice is carried out effectively.” By the time Anas makes his final appearance at a target’s door, he’s accompanied by police and armed with an arrest warrant. Mullins captures exchanges with cops, who clearly respect Anas, in which he seems to be calling the shots. At one point, Anas needs to be reminded that the charges against a suspect are not his to decide. Anas’s investigations in print and visual media, as editor of the New Crusading Guide, have made him a faceless celebrity. Approached by Mullins, people on the streets of Accra sing Anas’s praises. It is easy to see why a reporter refers to him as “investigative journalist extraordinaire” in the documentary and why he was name-‐checked by President Obama, and why his TED talk has been viewed more than a million times. However, culprits whose victims are powerless might continue to operate in the shadows if not for his investigations. While here in Canada, I sat with the young man I have known from our teenage days. We clashed several times during debate competitions in secondary school. Today we are both journalists. Inside his hotel room in Toronto, it’s my turn to ask the questions this time. I caught up with Anas Aremeyaw Anas on his thoughts about some grey areas in the documentary and how he responds to critics who believe that his style of News reporting is ‘unethical’. Anas also talks about his new investigative piece which will be the most expensive investigations he may have covered so far. The full interview will be part of the new season of ‘Jefferson Reports’ which airs on the Joy News channel on Multi TV. An interesting piece as we in the Multimedia family celebrate our 20th Anniversary.
04.27.2015 – Interview with Director Ryan Mullins Online archive unavailable
HOT DOCS: DAY 4 – CHAMELEON
By: Steve Gow | April 26, 2015 http://www.strictlydocs.com/hdday4/
He has been called the James Bond of Ghanaian journalism. Anas Aremeyaw Anas is one compelling subject. Not only does the young African expose sex-‐trafficking rings and uncover human rights violations through his impactful journalism, he goes to the front lines for his work by dressing in daring costumes and using extremely unorthodox methods. While his work is notorious in Ghana, he is virtually unknown constantly hiding his identity to improve his intrusive investigations. As I found out in an interview ahead of his screening at Hot Docs today, it was a story that filmmaker Ryan Mullins was drawn to tell in his fascinating feature Chameleon. Steve Gow: How did you find this story first of all? Ryan Mullins: I studied journalism in Montreal – Concordia University – and I was doing a new media project in Ghana a few years ago and always wanted to go back, was looking for a reason to go back and make another film there and a mutual friend of ours sent me this article about Anas in Atlantic Magazine and it was just incredible. It told this story about this James Bond-‐type journalist and I thought this has to be my next story. And Anas went to law school with this friend of mine so she kind of put us in touch and brokered that first meeting. Gow: When you first started working with Anas, I understand you were a bit conflicted with some of his methods.
Mullins: At first I was in awe, but gradually as time passed and some of the cases got a little more complicated and you can see the thought process going on – you know, sometimes the lines that were being crossed – was Anas a journalist? Was he a vigilante? What does it mean to be a journalist? All these things were going through my mind when at first I was just drawn to this larger than life story but then thinking about all these issues that were about the ethical questions that his work brings up. But it was also reassuring to see that Anas was also thinking about those things as well. Gow: Anas wears a lot of disguises as part of his work. What was your favorite disguise – from the film at least? Mullins: A lot of the film actually takes place kind of behind the scenes so there isn’t a whole lot of disguises going on but there are a few scenes in the film where Anas does (get disguised). You know, there’s a montage of disguises so obviously the disguise as a rock is a great one, as a sheik or as a police officer – we didn’t get to use a lot of them in the story line of the film but they come up here and there. Gow: How has the reaction been from audiences who’ve seen the film? Mullins: In Mexico City, we had these great screenings and of course the idea of investigative journalism is very real and very serious so people really engage in the doucmetnary and ask questions and also about the ethical boundaries that Anas is crossing. But people are engaged, the style kind of draws people in and so they don’t think they are watching a typical documentary so we’ve been able to get a broader audience in that sense.
To watch the trailer for CHAMELEON, view below:
Documentary on Mysterious Ghanaian Journalist Set for Hot Docs (Watch) By: Justin | March 22, 2015
http://www.fevatv.com/documentary-‐on-‐mysterious-‐ghanaian-‐journalist-‐set-‐for-‐hot-‐docs-‐watch/ Last year we showed you the trailer for a documentary called Chameleon, about award-‐winning Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who has become infamous for using disguises and never revealing his face in public. Anas uses his anonymity to his advantage as a reporter as he investigates stories of corruption, human rights abuses and more in sub-‐ Saharan Africa. In a visit to Ghana in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama even shouted him out by name for his work on the side of truth and justice. That documentary from Montreal-‐based filmmaker Ryan Mullins will have its North American premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, which runs in Toronto from April 23 to May 3. Chameleon follows Anas as he goes into deep cover, showing him in action. A new trailer for the film was recently released, and it looks like a gripping documentary to say the least. Check it out below, and watch for more on Chameleon in the coming weeks.
Hot Docs 2015: Reshaping Reality By: Adam Nayman | April 23, 2015
http://povmagazine.com/articles/view/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐reshaping-‐reality How to Change the World considers activism as global spectacle, while Ryan Mullins’ Chameleon profiles a different sort of courage: the rabble-‐rouser who hides behind a disguise. Shot in Ghana over a period of two years, the film follows Anas Aremeyaw Anas, an investigative journalist whose work routinely exposes criminal activities ranging from illegal abortions to slave labour. An old-‐school muckraker with a big readership and enemies in high places, Anas’ goal is “naming, shaming and jailing,” but despite the clarity of this mandate, he is a clandestine figure. He works deep undercover and keeps his face hidden at all times, a manoeuvre that allows him to maintain his anonymity and the access it grants him to all sorts of unsavoury situations. “There were a few ground rules he set early on, framing my shots to conceal his identity,” say Mullins, who contacted Anas through a mutual friend after reading about him in The Atlantic. “But he gave himself up to the process quite readily. It also helped that I was a one-‐person crew, and that he felt most comfortable with that arrangement.” The filmmaker’s original plan was to follow Anas on one major story, but when he got to Ghana, his subject was wrapping up an assignment involving the pursuit of a fugitive, and Mullins found himself piggybacking on a sting operation. “One day, I’m in Montreal, and the next I’m barrelling down a dirt road in a police car with guns drawn. That became the first scene of the film.” Mullins says that he drew inspiration from classic spy films in structuring Chameleon, and that he learned to go with the flow. Anas was understandably reticent to divulge too much information in advance of shooting, and the director got used to just showing up and letting things unfold in their own time. Over the course of shooting, Mullins says that his admiration for his subject’s bravery became tempered by ambivalence about his methods, which explains why Chameleon doesn’t feel simply like a hymn to a journalistic hero. “Anas tends to play fast and loose with the ‘rules’ of journalism, because for him, the end justifies the means,” he says. “What works in Canada might not work in Africa, and vice versa. So I would question his approach, but that’s what made him such an interesting character for me. I wasn’t sure where I stood in some cases. My convictions were wavering with the making of the film. “ Despite the shape-‐shifting implications of its title, Chameleon is finally a portrait of constancy: Mullins succeeds in showing us how Anas’ physical malleability actually leaves his true self open and exposed for all to see. “[He] doesn’t conceal his true identity,” says Mullins. “He may hide his face, but he hasn’t crafted an alter ego. He inhabits this identity at all times. At first, I had trouble with this as a filmmaker, because I felt I wasn’t penetrating beyond the superficial mask that he presented. It took a while to figure out that there was no alter ego with Anas. There is no fortress of solitude. He lives and breathes the role of the crusading journalist.”
Chameleon’: Hot Docs Review By: Sheri Linden | April 27, 2015
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/chameleon-‐hot-‐docs-‐review-‐790887
The shape-‐shifter at the center of Ryan Mullins’ concise and involving Chameleon is journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, a Ghanaian in his 30s who conducts elaborate undercover stings. In his successful crusade to “name, shame and jail” perpetrators of human rights abuses, along with the fraudulent and the corrupt, Anas has disguised himself as a sheikh, a woman and a rock, among other borrowed identities. In the documentary, he never appears without his face blurred or obstructed, yet he gradually comes into focus. That’s partly the result of the few personal facts that emerge, but Mullins’ chief concern, like Anas’s, is the work itself. With adrenaline-‐pumping, fly-‐on-‐the-‐wall immediacy, the director-‐cinematographer-‐editor exposes the work’s perils, frustrations and triumphs as well as the ethical questions it raises. Mullins is there for Anas’s exuberant appearance before teen students at his former school (eyes and nose covered by a curtain of beaded strings), and the filmmaker is by his side when he visits his grandmother and hands out cash to all her neighbors in the village. First and foremost, he follows Anas and his colleagues as they close in on three targets: a spiritualist accused of raping children, an illegal abortionist who forces women to have sex with him, and an abusive religious cult. The film incorporates hidden-‐camera video gathered by Anas’s team as evidence, often over many months and across national borders. A female television producer who works with Anas speaks with conviction about the galvanizing effect some of that evidence has had on her. “The first time I saw it,” she says of footage of the abortionist, “I broke down.” Anas’s investigations in print and visual media, as editor of the New Crusading Guide, have made him a faceless celebrity. Approached by Mullins, people on the streets of Accra sing Anas’s praises. It’s easy to see why a BBC reporter refers to him as “investigative journalist extraordinaire,” why he was name-‐ checked by President Obama, and why his TED talk has been viewed more than a million times. It’s also easy to see why his unorthodox methods make some bristle. According to an onscreen title that appears early in the film, he “works directly with law enforcement to ensure that justice is carried out effectively.” Imagine that being said of an American journalist. By the time Anas makes his final appearance at a target’s door, he’s accompanied by police and armed with an arrest warrant. Mullins
captures exchanges with cops, who clearly respect Anas, in which he seems to be calling the shots. At one point, Anas needs to be reminded that the charges against a suspect are not his to decide. And yet, culprits whose victims are powerless might continue to operate in the shadows if not for his tireless efforts. Mullins interviews a newsman who cites the Ghana Journalists Association code of ethics, which states that information should not be obtained through subterfuge. The journalist then tempers that guideline with the observation that, in a society of multiple cultures like Ghana’s, ethics are more a matter of resilience than they are absolute. In Mullins’ footage, a sense of lack among Ghanaians is evident, but also a sense of forward-‐looking energy. If, as one observer notes, sub-‐Saharan Africa is a rich land whose people are impoverished, Anas is a hero, defending those who have no power and condemning those who abuse it. He’s not unaware of the gray-‐area complexities of his work, but he’s driven to pursue justice and determined to put himself on the line to achieve it. The justice he effects — the longed-‐for triumph of right over wrong — is the stuff of wish fulfillment that has driven Hollywood movies for decades, and storytelling for eons. It’s no wonder that some Ghanaians believe he has superpowers. Production company: EyeSteelFilm Director: Ryan Mullins Producer: Bob Moore Executive producers: Daniel Cross, Mila Aung-‐Thwin, Robin Smith, Steven Silver, Neil Tabatznik Director of photography: Ryan Mullins Editor: Ryan Mullins Composer: Florencia di Concilio Sales: Dogwoof No rating, 78 minutes
Hot Docs: Six reviews By: Olivia Ward | April 27, 2015
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/04/27/hot-‐docs-‐six-‐reviews.html
Chameleon Director: Ryan Mullins Country focus: Ghana A flamboyant but covert investigative journalist becomes Ghana’s action hero when he goes undercover to pursue a campaign of “naming, shaming and jailing” people guilty of crime and corruption. Yet the man of a hundred disguises has critics. He crosses the line from reporting to vigilantism, and has made dangerous enemies. The tensions fail to dampen his zeal. Trailer: Click here
NOW -‐ 04.22.2015 – “CHAMELEON” By: Norman Wilner | April 22, 2015 https://nowtoronto.com/movies/hot-‐docs-‐2015/chameleon/ CHAMELEON (Ryan Mullins, Canada). 78 minutes. Rating: NNNN
Shot and cut like a thriller, Ryan Mullins's profile of Anas Aremeyaw Anas follows Ghana's foremost investigative journalist on a series of exposés -‐ busting an abortion provider who insists on having sex with his patients, freeing women forced into prostitution, rescuing children from an abusive religious cult. Anas -‐ who brings police and government officials into his investigations to ensure his targets don't just disappear when he catches them in the act -‐ has become a superstar in his homeland, and he's a charming, appealing subject. But for safety reasons, he won't allow his face to be shown on camera, making this one of the more inventively framed documentaries in this year's festival. Or any festival, probably. Apr 25, 5:30 pm, Royal; Apr 26, 4:30 pm, Scotiabank 3
Hot Docs 2015: What films you should see at this year's festival By: Jim Slotek | April 18, 2015
http://www.torontosun.com/2015/04/18/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐what-‐films-‐you-‐should-‐see-‐at-‐this-‐years-‐festival We look at 13 films ahead of Canada's premiere documentary film festival Okay, so the red carpet scene isn’t as much of a “thing.” But Toronto’s annual Hot Docs Film Festival carries arguably as much impact in the documentary world as TIFF does on the wider cinema scene. Hot Docs is a leading-‐edge intro into the non-‐fiction films people will be talking about through 2015, and is a pretty good predictor of the docs that will be getting Oscar attention. Examples: this year’s nom Virunga and recent-‐vintage Oscar winners like The Cove and Man on Wire. Some 210 documentaries from 44 countries are programmed at 12 different venues, starting with the April 23 opening night premiere of TIG, a profile of the Grammy-‐winning comedian Tig Notaro, whose battle with cancer informed the most inspired comedy of her career. Also heavily anticipated: Documentaries on Mavis Staples (Mavis!) and Nina Simone (What Happened Miss Simone?) Herewith: a sampling of 13 Hot Docs films we previewed. CHAMELEON: The journalist as superhero. The Ghanaian reporter Anas Aremeyaw Anas is a national hero, even though practically no one knows what he looks like. It’s fun, skullduggerous stuff, following the disguised Anas as he tracks down abusers and sex offenders in positions of trust. The fact that he works in tandem with police and officials handcuffs him, though, from ever making a dent in systemic corruption.
10 Films to See At Hot Docs 2015 By: Jenn Reid | April 18, 2015
http://www.toronto.com/articles/10-‐films-‐to-‐see-‐at-‐hot-‐docs-‐2015/ Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is back this week, with more than 180 documentaries from around the globe. Running from April 23 to May 5, there’s chances to catch docs about famous comedians, international crime and intrigue, human stories and way more. We’ve pored through the schedule, and picked out a handful of films that we think are must-‐sees. Take a look at our choices below, or check out the full Hot Docs schedule for more. Chameleon Journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas uses disguises to go undercover and expose corruption in his native Ghana. He’s became the hero of the people, yet never shows his face in fear of retribution from the powerful. Anas’ latest case is to infiltrate a religious sect in a nearby village that he suspects is involved human trafficking – all without revealing his true identity. Showtimes & Theatres
10 FILMS TO SEE AT HOT DOCS 2015
By: Courtney Small | April 15, 2015
The sun is shining and spirits are high which can only signify that Hot Docs 2015 is near. Running from April 23 to May 3, the Hot Docs festival is getting ready to unleash another year of captivating and entertaining films. Showcasing over 200 documentaries, it can be a daunting task deciding which films to grab tickets for. Here are 10 films that we cannot wait to see at the festival this year:
Chameleon Anas Aremeyaw has been called the James Bond of the journalism world for his use of disguises and unorthodox detective methods. One of the most revered journalist in Ghana, few people have actually seen his face. Chameleon attempts to shed light on both Aremeyaw’s investigative prowess and his ability to keep his identity a secret for all these years.
HOT DOCS FEVER HITS TORONTO
By: Mark D’Amico | April 23, 2015
http://www.weraddicted.com/hot-‐docs-‐fever-‐hits-‐toronto/ As April draws to a close in Toronto, film lovers are gearing up for one of the city’s biggest and most exciting annual film festivals…Hot Docs! The Canadian International Documentary Film Festival starts TODAY and runs until May 3rd, showcasing over 200 groundbreaking films from 44 different countries around the globe. The festival celebrates documentary cinema and its capacity to show us worlds that are beyond our normal spheres of existence, telling a multitude of unique stories from the intimately personal to the shocking, the revolutionary, and the inspirational. Over 200 directors and special guests will be in attendance to introduce their films and participate in entertaining and informative audience Q&As following their screenings. The Special Events program kicks off with tonight’s opening night premiere of the film Tig featuring comedian and star Tig Notaro,as well as the filmmakers behind this personal cinematic exploration of a year of her life. Hot Docs 2015 is set to be another fantastic year, and you don’t want to miss it! Be sure visit thefestival website for additional information and the full schedule, and don’t forget to grab tickets! In case it helps narrow your search, here’s a list of 15 films that I’m looking forward to this year: Chameleon (Dir: Ryan Mullins, Canada) – TRAILER A Ghanaian investigative journalist with a dash of James Bond rises to become a national hero as he slips into disguise undercover to expose corruption and injustice while on a relentless campaign of “naming, shaming and jailing” criminals.
Hot Docs: Chameleon, Leaving Africa, The Queen Of Silence Reviews By: Jacqueline Valencia | May 1, 2015
http://nextprojection.com/2015/05/01/hot-‐docs-‐chameleon-‐leaving-‐africa-‐queen-‐silence-‐reviews/
Chameleon (2014) Dir. Ryan Mullins This real life caper focuses on Anas Aremeyaw Anas, a journalist in Ghana who fights corruption and crime. His reputation has catapulted him to urban legend levels since he remains faceless to the public. In Chameleon, Mullins follows Anas in his various missions and a lot of these are on the scene dangerous situations. Anas goes undercover, or posits other undercover operatives in his place uncovering and arresting rapists, child kidnappers, and even dismantling a possibly dangerous religious cult.
HOT DOCS 2015 REVIEW: CHAMELEON
By: David Rudin | April 24, 2015
http://thetfs.ca/2015/04/24/hot-‐docs-‐review-‐chameleon/
Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas is ostensibly faceless yet has an outsized hold on the public consciousness. Ryan Mullins’ documentary Chameleon suggests that those two phenomena are closely interrelated. Mullins follows Anas as he recounts his exploits to students and coordinates elaborate stings with colleagues and law enforcement officials. Through it all, Anas’ face is either covered by hats and hoodies or disguised with makeup for one of his signature stings. This aura of mystery, as one early title cards puts it, makes Anas the James Bond of investigative journalism. This comparison animates Chameleon, which proceeds like a veritable thriller. Mullins films Anas from behind, maintaining his signature aura of invisibility. Anas can be heard describing stings targeting human traffickers and an abortionist who sexually assaults his patients. There is no room for false leads or dead ends. Anas’ stings, complicated though they may be, proceed exactly as planned. The pieces of his plans come together like a finely choreographed action film. The sheer Bond-‐ness of Chameleon, while entertaining, leaves little room for qualms about Anas’ methods. Its relentless forward motion drowns out a journalist who argues that subterfuge is unethical. Similarly, footage of Anas’ police collaborators destroying a village feels like an odd afterthought. Anas says he didn’t see it. That’s it. The story must keep moving forward. Mullins raises interesting questions about activism and journalism but is too seduced by the lure of action to offer nuanced answers. IS CHAMELEON ESSENTIAL FESTIVAL VIEWING? If you can get past Chameleon‘s unbridled enthusiasm for its central subject, it is an entertaining film. CHAMELEON SCREENING TIMES § Saturday, April 25, 2015 – 5:30 pm – Royal Cinema § Sunday, April 26, 2015 – 4:30 pm – Scotiabank Theatre
Hot Docs 2015 Review: Chameleon By: Rob Trench | April 21, 2015
http://scenecreek.com/hot-‐docs/hot-‐docs-‐chameleon/
Ryan Mullins’ Chameleon centers around Anas Aremeyaw Anas, a Ghanian investigative journalist whose exploits have attained widespread notoriety within his home country and across the world. Over fifteen years of working in the field, Anas has become a character of near-‐mythic status, with the tendency for going completely undercover to apprehend corrupt individuals. The methods he employs are so effective, that very few even know what he looks like. Utilizing a fly-‐on-‐the-‐wall aesthetic, Mullins observes Anas on a variety of cases, as he works with law enforcement officers to bring down a child prostitution ring, an illegal abortionist, and a depraved church syndicate. The level of proximity granted in these sections makes for palpable tension, at times in the same vein of a procedural thriller. In addition, scenes of Anas speaking with a large assembly of school children are featured throughout, reflecting on his career and celebrity status within the area. These moments bring to light what an inspiring force of justice he is, acting as a real hero in the face of adversity. Chameleon is enthralling from start to finish, in its depiction of a larger than life figure, putting their life on the line for the sake of humanity. It is sure to engage true crime enthusiasts, and comes to represent the power of journalism in the modern world.
Hot Docs 2015: Chameleon By: Sean Kelly | April 24, 2015
http://www.skonmovies.com/2015/04/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐chameleon.html
The “James Bond of journalism” is profiled in Chameleon. Anas Aremeyaw Anas is an investigative journalist in Ghana, who lives by the three basis principles of naming, shaming and jailing. Very few people have seen Anas’ face and he uses his extreme undercover methods to help bring down criminals across the country. Chameleon is a documentary about a journalist who is so secretive that his face isn’t even seen on screen. To maintain the veil of secrecy surrounding Anas Aremeyaw Anas, he is often shot from behind or through extreme close-‐ups. When he is seen from the front, there is often something obscuring his face, such as a handkerchief or a bunch of string. Anas’ is a modern day master of disguise and Chameleon features a montage of his various outfits, which go from dressing in drag to dressing as a rock. Anas works with authorities to track down criminals, which often puts his life in danger. Chameleon is somewhat structured as if it was an espionage thriller and it follows Anas on various cases, including taking down a doctor that rapes abortion patients, as well as performing a raid of a human trafficking operation. Anas’ methods are quite unconventional for a journalist, even though he is an example of people in Ghana getting to tell their own stories. While it is a bit hard to relate to a main subject whose face you don’t see, Chameleon is an interesting profile of this true life superspy. ★ ★ ★ 1/2 | FAIR Screenings: • Sat, Apr 25, 5:30 PM – The Royal Cinema • Sun, Apr 26, 4:30 PM – Scotiabank Theatre 3
Hot Docs 2015: Chameleon By: danielhreed | April 23, 2015
http://biffbampop.com/2015/04/23/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐chameleon/
Chameleon, the Ryan Mullins-‐directed documentary on vigilante Ghanaian journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, is filmed like a spy mission. Mullins takes us behind enemy lines in and around Accra to follow the famed Anas as he cracks the cases that lead to the arrests of sex traffickers and cult leaders. We first see Anas over his own shoulder stalking the rugged terrain. The grainy handheld shots capture the movement of his step. Even though you can’t see his eyes, you can feel the careful attention he is paying to his surroundings. The bounce in his step animates the otherwise still night. In the streets they know his name. They know he is a masked man and master of clandestine operations. Even Barack Obama has praised him as ‘a brave journalist’ in a speech. His name is attached to many high profile articles and breaking news stories, however, his face isn’t. Anas conceals his physical identity so the criminals can’t see him coming. Working in concert with the police, Anas and his team of informants plant hidden cameras and tape recorders to investigate their subjects and capture evidence. Then, when enough of a case has been built, he presents the information he has collected to the heads of the police units who then work with him to make the arrest. In one particularly slick montage, Anas is seen changing into different costumes. At one time he is an old man in rags with prosthetic facial features. At another he is a full-‐figured woman in a dress and heels. And, most preposterously, he is a rock. The beat of hi-‐life music plays in the background. While Mullins’ film is full of energy, the most interesting element in the whole story is a hidden one. It’s unclear to the viewer how the filmmaker is presenting his subject. Most of the time he comes across as a hero. However, after seeing how Anas conducts his process, you can’t help but question whether Anas is a journalist at all. It is very hard to
see him as a member of the independent press when his actions portrayed in the film are so closely tied to those working in Ghana’s law enforcement. Rather than seeing him committed to the principles of creating the story for the newspapers, you see a curious man infatuated with the law and freeing his people of corruption. There is no documentation showing Anas’ rapport with the news outlets or even any talk of his creative process. Nor do you understand how his stories were discovered in the first place and why the community still needs him to write articles. Instead we see him directing plainclothes officers on how to bust a kidnapping ring. The majority of the screen time is spent showing a couple of sting operations and then celebrating his success in breaking the story. There is not enough context provided in the film that shows how Anas’ actions raise the public’s consciousness in regards to corruption. Besides his obvious fame and bravery, we are left without the psychological impact his stories leave on the reader. We want to know how this position of influence is shaping the world. The most powerful part of the film comes after an arrest where Anas leads a number of reckless policemen into a pseudo-‐religious camp full of kidnapped children. The police officers burst into the camp, round up the captives, and raze it to the ground. The shocked women and children are then loaded into the bus. When they sit down to be told what will happen to them and where they’ll live, many are revealed to be without family and stable homes. Anas and his colleagues appear saddened by these truths and unprepared to ensure safety for all of the victims in the future. This, for a split second, shows a certain failure on the part of Anas to look beyond the rescue itself. And while we see the direct impact of his actions to those involved in this specific case, it would have been more meaningful if we could have seen what this case signifies for the other criminals and victims still at large. Unfortunately, rather than building upon this sequence, it is framed as another battle of the good versus the bad and then we’re back to admiring Anas’ past accomplishments. It makes you question if this clip intends to criticize his methods in the first place. While there are a few scattered interviews with a previously jailed newspaper editor, Chameleon does not play as a cautionary tale for investigative journalists. In the case of Anas, journalism is presented as less of an occupation and more of a means to an end. When he abruptly receives a law degree after the kidnapping raid unfolds it’s as if he’s dropped his tools to pick up something different altogether. Chameleon screens on April 25th and 26th in Toronto as part of the 2015 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.
MovieMovesMe.com Hot Docs Review: Chameleon (2015) ★★★★ By: Ulkar Alakbarova | April 16, 2015 http://moviemovesme.com/2015/04/16/hot-‐docs-‐review-‐chameleon-‐2015/
Anas Aremeyaw Anas is a well-‐known journalist who has been honored by President Barack Obama, has received multiple awards, and has the nickname ‘James Bond’ for his tremendous contribution in Ghanaian journalism. What he does is something that others who call themselves journalists should do – seek the truth, uncover the truth, and bring the darkest part of our society to the light, from the darkness where they can no longer hide. Anas is a person who looks for criminals, and helps the police to catch them. Nobody really knows what he looks like. But, did the people of Gotham know the real face of Batman, or his real identity? Did New Yorker`s know Spiderman’s identity? Anas, also like Batman, is a person who hides in the shadows of those who no longer can hide, or vanish because of something terrible, or harmful they have done. In this case Anas will be right there to bring them to justice. In this documentary film, Chameleon, you won`t be able to see the face of Anas, but you will see something bigger than his looks may tell: his discoveries, investigations, and the cooperation he gives the police to bring the disturbing part of our society to justice; the part of society who go far in thier brutality, and he introduces them to the law. These are criminals they did not even know existed. In this documentary film we see Anas’s investigation into one the most disturbing cases I have ever heard – an abortion doctor who refuses to help with his illegal abortions unless the victim agrees to sleep with him. If the victim goes against the doctor`s demands, he promises to make the entire abortion process incredibly painful. As they have nowhere to go, and are left with no other choices, desperate women agree with the ‘doctor`s terms. The second case documented is about human trafficking, where Anas tries to understand how to prosecute and to charge the right people who were wrongly guided. It is very interesting and intellectually stimulating to see how this documentary film teaches so many good things that human beings must do. Anas, standing in front of his own people says: “We don`t live in this world 200 years. If you have a chance to put a mark on something, then you must do it.” In conclusion, TheCHAMELEON, directed by Ryan Mullins, once again shows how important journalism is, how much the facts really do matter, and how we all desperately need a real hero like Anas, who will tell the truth without fear and who acts like a good cop, a good citizen instead of those who use their unique opportunities that they have to help others, instead take their phone and records and commit inhumane acts, ignoring the law. This is why Chameleon must be seen, mostly by those who are too busy committing crimes, to prevent them…
Chameleon" at Hot Docs International Documentary Film Festival April 25, 2015
https://cjfe.org/take_action/events/chameleon-‐hot-‐docs-‐international-‐documentary-‐film-‐festival
Date: Saturday, April 25, 2015 Location: Royal Cinema (April 25, 5:30 pm), Scotiabank Theatre (April 26, 4:30 pm) CJFE is proud to co-‐present the Canadian premiere of Chameleon at the 2015 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival. This year, North America’s largest documentary festival is being hosted in Toronto from April 23 to May 3, 2015, showcasing over 200 titles from 45 countries. About the film In Chameleon, one of Africa’s most famed investigative reporters, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, takes us deep undercover for his own brand of brazen journalism. Anas has been called the James Bond of Ghanaian journalism, famous for keeping his identity secret while tirelessly investigating corruption with three basic principles: naming, shaming, and jailing. He has exposed a sex-‐trafficking ring by masquerading as a bartender, uncovered deplorable conditions in Accra’s psychiatric hospital, and posed as a crown prince in order to bypass a rebel checkpoint. His undercover disguises and unorthodox methods are infamous throughout Ghana and yet, despite his notoriety, his face remains unknown to the public. In this modern spy thriller, Canadian filmmaker Ryan Mullins follows Anas on his latest big case, as the journalist infiltrates a religious sect in an isolated village to expose human trafficking, all while keeping his identity a mystery. Duration: 78 minutes Screenings: Saturday, April 25, 5:30 p.m. Royal Cinema, 608 College St, Toronto Sunday, April 26, 4:30 p.m. Scotiabank Theatre 3, 259 Richmond St W, Toronto Tickets available on the Hot Docs website.
HOT DOCS 2015: CHAMELEON By: Jenny Treash | April 24, 2015
http://cinemaaxis.com/2015/04/24/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐chameleon/
Watching Chameleon, a film about the life of a journalist, was a huge privilege for me. As a journalism graduate, I appreciate how hard the life of a journalist is. Investigating a story and then telling it truthfully is a difficult task especially when you have to rely on others and their trust in you enough to share their story. And when as a journalist you seek out stories that put your own life at risk, your job becomes that much harder. Anas Aremeyaw Anas is a famous investigative reporter praised as many things: a journalist of the year award-‐winner; a hero acting to end modern-‐day slavery; one of the most celebrated journalists in Africa; the “James Bond” of investigative journalism. Despite his fame, few people have seen his face, but most people recognize his work. He “uncovers those in the dark and brings them to light,” says one woman. He works directly with law enforcement to ensure that justice is carried out effectively. In doing so, he lays down his life to bring to light all of the injustices that are happening in African societies. Chameleon comes off like a modern-‐day spy thriller. We never see Anas’ face. The only parts of him we see are his back, his hands and his mouth. All shots of his full body or of his face are in soft focus. He is always hooded or wearing a hat. We hear his voice, though, and we see what he sees through the camera lens. This style of not really seeing Anas, but hearing him is very compelling. We hear him speak to the police about the targets he is investigating; we hear him talk to present-‐day students at the school he used to attend as a kid; we hear him describe the disturbing crimes that he is trying to uncover; and we hear him flesh out his stories before they go to press. It is an extremely powerful narrative style and we as viewers lack nothing by not seeing Anas’ face. What makes this documentary so gripping is that it often feels like we are sitting alongside Anas, or following behind him in a ride-‐ along, as he and the police raid the home of a child rapist, expose an illegal abortion doctor, bring down a prostitution ring and dismantle a human trafficking operation posing as a prayer camp. We are brought along almost like co-‐ journalists bearing witness to all of the action as it is taking place, as though we are breaking the story with him, and it’s thrilling. Screens Saturday, April 25, 5:30 PM, Royal Cinema Sunday, April 26, 4:30 PM, Scotiabank Theatre Tickets can be purchased at the Hot Docs website.
HOT DOCS 2015: CHAMELEON By: Mark D’Amico | April 28, 2015
http://www.weraddicted.com/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐chameleon/
Ryan Mullins‘ riveting documentary Chameleon examines the life and career of Ghana’s most famous and celebrated investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who has achieved celebrity status after spending over a decade risking his life to expose corruption and criminal activity in his home nation, and bringing guilty parties to justice. Anas has often been called “the James Bond of Ghanaian journalism” due to his track record of using risky undercover tactics in order to infiltrate dangerous situations and attain what he refers to as “hardcore evidence” – indisputable proof captured via hidden camera that confirms the guilt of his targets. Working closely with local police forces, his mission and mantra is described as the “naming, shaming and jailing” of those responsible for human-‐rights violations and horrible acts of indecency. Anas has kept his face hidden from the public in order to maintain his anonymity, and in the process has become something of a symbol, demonstrating the power that one individual has to incite change, and speaking to the inherent responsibility of the journalist to improve the world around them by digging deep to uncover its darkest secrets, and bringing them to light in the public eye. Despite the fact that Mullins refrains from showing us Anas’ face throughout the course of his documentary – often filming him from behind or using close details of his hands or mouth – his assured and experienced voice remains the driving force of the narrative as he spearheads risky
undercover operations, co-‐ordinates plans of attack with law officials, briefs his writing team on the journal articles that will be published following each arrest, and weighs potential outcomes prior to executing potentially dangerous and unpredictable missions. Mullins’ film is beautifully shot and incredibly exciting to behold, as he follows Anas with a first-‐hand approach that places you right in the middle of the action throughout the course of several undercover operations. These fast-‐paced sections – made all the more compelling due to their real and highly unpredictable nature – are intercut with more personal footage of the journalist giving a speech to students at his former school, and visiting his grandmother at her home. These glimpses of Anas’ life in between missions function to paint a more vivid picture of the man behind the mask, speaking towards the nearly mythical status he’s achieved among his people while also highlighting the raw humanity that drives him to do the things he does. Through this, Mullins succeeds in cutting through the myth to present Anas as a true hero of flesh and blood, consistently devoting his life to fight injustice in all its shapes and sizes. If there is one thread that leaves itself open to pulling in Chameleon, it’s perhaps the way that the film glosses over the controversial aspects and collateral damage that result from Anas’ work, simplifying at times what are in fact devastating, life-‐altering actions with large personal impacts to those involved. While Mullins’ obvious enthusiasm and reverence for his subject may be partially responsible for the film’s one-‐sided view, the truth that comes across more fully is the simple fact that there are extreme circumstances in this world to which the only appropriate responses are extreme courses of action. It is undeniable that Anas’ work over the years has helped more people than it has hurt, saved more people than it has victimized, and for this reason, the ends in his case certainly seem to justify the means. In any story exploring revolutionary behaviour born out of a will to improve the world, there will always be an inherent skepticism biting at the facts that are presented and attempting to turn them on their head to see what is underneath – as there should be. Yet in the case of Chameleon, we are invited to take a front row seat to look evil right in the eyes, and the end result is a greater peace of mind in knowing that a man like Anas exists to stand up for the voiceless and the innocent against the cancers of corruption and inhumanity that erode society from the inside.
R A T I N G : 4 / 5 S T A R S
Chameleon (Hot Docs Review) By: Susan Kemp | April 27, 2015 http://waytooindie.com/review/movie/chameleon/
In 2013, I saw the very engaging documentary Plimpton!, based on the legendary literary journalist George Plimpton, who put himself right in the middle of his stories, like the time he joined an NFL team and told the story in a way no outsider could. But director Ryan Mullins’ documentary on Ghanese journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas takes this sort of immersive journalism up a few notches on the stakes ladder. Anas works directly with police in placing himself undercover, where he infiltrates prostituion rings, illegal abortion clinics, and religious cults all for the sake of getting the information out to the people and spurring on social change. His methodologies are controversial—not many journalists place themselves in dangerous situations each time they write—but no one can argue with the power of his stories. He’s like a real-‐life Clark Kent, except we actually occasionally get to see him write a story. The filmmakers were clearly going for this larger-‐than-‐life superhero angle when focusing their lens on Anas, who takes on a series of “missions” through a mixture of formal recording during the planning stages and hidden cameras while undercover. This persona is built up with street interviews (“He can vanish at any time! He can fly!”) and a dramatic montage at the film’s onset, where he gets a prestigious nod of approval from TED Talks, where he’s shown giving a speech, and President Barack Obama, who mentions him in a speech of his own. But the film isn’t quite as exciting as the hype.
None of the missions feel terribly dangerous. And, no, I’m not criticizing a lack of violence, but the film’s tone, which at times doesn’t seem in line with the gravity of the situation. The opening scene, where Anas and detectives capture a man who’s raped more than 12 children, seems bizarrely light. Anas is first shown in a van on a cellphone reveling with someone, “I’m got him. Yeeeeessss. Exciting!” To be followed by actually taunting the captured man in the van. “The kids used to say, ‘One day you’ll be arrested,’” he says, smugly. “This is the Day.” It really kind of rubbed me the wrong way. If you’re going for a superhero comparison, you need to balance it out with a little humility: Batman never sat in the back of the Batmobile talking about how cool the catch was. When we follow this scene with a visit to a school where he’s retelling his capers like a teen remembering his glory days on the high school football team, I almost gave up on this film for good. Don’t get me wrong; I blame the somewhat cocky tone entirely on the film’s editing. Anas’ award-‐ winning journalism is impressive. The missions, which we get to see from start to end, seem well-‐ planned and carefully executed. And, most importantly, Anas is dealing with some very serious human-‐rights violations, saving lives and putting away very despicable men. He deserves to be the subject of a documentary. I think the well-‐meaning steps to build up the hype of “Anas, the unstoppable” just lost their footing a little. But, somehow, even with the superhero comparisons, we’re confronted with some surprisingly slow passages. The same mission planning I just commended actually makes up the bulk of the documentary, and when interwoven with additional interviews, sometimes it’s easy to forget what mission we’re planning for next. To compound the issue, the conversations aren’t always easy to follow due to the thick accents of interviewees. But that’s nitpicking. The true problem here is that no one has a face. A visit to Anas’ hometown doesn’t reveal more about the mystery man other than the fact that he used to sell chameleons as a kid—an appropriate metaphor for a man who is constantly adapting to new situations. But it’s hardly revelatory. Every human being has motivations and weaknesses. We never penetrate the surface of Anas, the man. We also don’t get to know any of the criminals beyond their charges on paper. The undercover footage we watch alongside Anas doesn’t capture the actual ringleaders often, let alone their crimes. Instead, we get a lot of shaky footage of large groups of people and the outdoors, with the occasional brief one-‐on-‐one interview. As a result, each arrest feels a bit rushed: crime and capture, without those moments to feel invested in between. We do get to spend more time on the last mission, a religious cult guilty of a slew of sex crime violations, and the payoff here works for the very reason I’m describing: We finally get a human face when filmmakers track down a 13-‐year-‐old girl and her mother. When she tells her story of being sexually assaulted by men who claimed she was possessed, her mother’s face turns from grief to shame when the girl says her mother also believed she was possessed. This girl’s five-‐minute appearance steals the show. We needed a dozen more of these moments. These are the people Anas’ stories are truly aimed at illuminating. The film focuses too much on the James Bond elements. Sure it’s hard, even impossible, to get the stories from these people living in isolated conditions and who have been brainwashed and traumatized. But actually relaying those stories is probably why Anas’s stories are engaging—and why this documentary ultimately falls short. Chameleon (Hot Docs Review) Movie review 5/10
HOT DOCS 2015: CHAMELEON By: Greg Klymkiw | April 25, 2015
http://klymkiwfilmcorner.blogspot.ca/2015/04/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐chameleon-‐review-‐by-‐greg.html Chameleon (2014) Dir. Ryan Mullins Review By Greg Klymkiw Anas Aremeyaw Anas not only seeks to fight crime, he wants to expose it publicly, shame it and then create enough evidence for the evil-‐ doers to be tossed into prison for a good long time. Anas will go to seemingly absurd lengths to "get his man". He's a master of disguise -‐ so much so, that most people, even some who are close to him, don't even really know what he looks like. Chameleon, indeed! Oh, and he's not a cop. Anas Aremeyaw Anas is Ghana's most popular tabloid investigative journalist. Working closely with the police, Anas pursues those who have eluded incarceration. He's not only fighting crime, he's getting the story first-‐hand for his readers. The film entertainingly follows Anas at every step of the way during his detailed investigation into a notorious human trafficking ring. We get to see him behind the scenes, his collaboration with trusted members of law enforcement and even his speech (in disguise, of course) to a whole whack of admiring kids (which provides a ton of great tidbits about his past successes). The movie offers a lovely appetizer case; an abominably deviant abortionist coerces women into having sex with him before he performs the fetal extraction. He claims that his highly skilled prodigious schwance-‐pronging will open up a woman's passageways in a natural fashion prior to the doc diving in and ripping the blob of living flesh from the abortion-‐seeker. The guy is a total dirt-‐bag and seeing him taken out is very pleasurable, but the lead-‐up to his capture is also nail-‐bitingly suspenseful due to Anas' "bait", a colleague placed in clear danger to help make the bust. Though the film provides a tiny bit of tut-‐tutting about journalistic ethics, this (thankfully) takes a decided backseat to Anas' derring-‐do. The human trafficking case is especially suspenseful, but director Ryan Mullins captures the bust's aftermath superbly; giving us a very real, telling and melancholy exposure to the conflicted feelings of the traffickers' victims. This is yet another doc that has feature film drama and/or dramatic TV series potential splashed all over it. I don't think this is a bad thing at all. It'll be fun to see ifChameleon becomes a franchise tentpole. THE FILM CORNER RATING: *** Three Stars Chameleon will have its Canadian Premiere at HOT DOCS 2015. For schedule and tickets, visit the Hot Docs website HERE.
Hot Docs 2015 radiates with personal, high-‐ stakes stories By: June Chua | April 20, 2015
http://rabble.ca/columnists/2015/04/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐radiates-‐personal-‐high-‐stakes-‐stories
Chameleon Chameleon (dir. Ryan Mullins) concerns a man known as "the James Bond of journalism." You can't have a better slogan than that for a film which twists and winds with the muckraking investigations of Ghanian reporter Anas Aremeyaw Anas. Photo: Chameleon His unorthodox ways include partnering with police and local authorities on gotcha-‐style investigations as well as disguises that cover the gambit from pretending to be a sheik to dressing as a woman and as a giant rock. The film (co-‐ presented by the Canadian Journalists for Freedom of Expression), styles itself as a '70s cop thriller chronicling Anas' various adventures that include infiltrating a religious sect in an isolated village to expose abuse and child trafficking. Mullins, based out of Montreal, has created a full and complicated portrait of a man on a mission. Anas confronts our own Western notions of what journalists are supposed to do. Freely admitting that he uses "journalism as a weapon," his stories for the newspaper and for TV have a taint of sensationalism. Parachuted throughout the film is a member of the Ghana Journalism Association, who casts a sober view on Anas' tactics. Acting much like a Greek chorus, he compares Anas' gonzo style with tabloid style, which under the banner of journalism is "dangerous." On the other hand, he gives Anas his due, noting that the reporter's stories have made a big difference in a country infected with self-‐styled prophets, shady dealings and human trafficking. Famous throughout Ghana, Anas must always don a disguise when out in public talking about his exploits. You never see his face but you certainly get the feeling of his core. "When you get an opportunity to make your mark, you better put it there," declares Anas, speaking to an audience of schoolchildren about this crusading form of journalism. Mission accomplished.
WHAT TO SEE AT HOT DOCS 2015 THIS WEEKEND By: Staff | April 24, 2015
https://nowtoronto.com/movies/hot-‐docs-‐2015/what-‐to-‐see-‐at-‐hot-‐docs-‐this-‐weekend/ CHAMELEON Shot and cut like a thriller, Ryan Mullins's profile of Anas Aremeyaw Anas follows Ghana's foremost investigative journalist on a series of exposés -‐ busting an abortion provider who insists on having sex with his patients, freeing women forced into prostitution, rescuing children from an abusive religious cult. See review.
HOT DOCS 2015: THE WRAP UP By: Steve Gow | May 3, 2015 http://www.strictlydocs.com/
The 2015 edition of the Hot Docs has wrapped and as with another successful year, there is always a winner’s circle. This year, 12 awards and $61,000 in prizes were handed out to some of the lucky filmmakers who premiered or screened their documentaries in the esteemed festival. Among the top prizes went to films covering such a wide variety topics as aboriginal activism to an international story about a James Bond-‐type journalist in Ghana. Here are a list of just some of the big winners of Hot Docs 2015:
Emerging Canadian Filmmaker Award Ryan Mullins for CHAM ELEON Sponsored by Panicaro Foundation, the award includes a $5,000 prize courtesy of the Panicaro Foundation.
Documentary about B.C.'s Haida Gwaii wins top prize from Hot Docs By: Cassandra Szklarski | May 1, 2015
http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/entertainment/national_entertainment/article_5fb28a51-‐d7ed-‐59b3-‐8bed-‐ c9b4a78fd193.html TORONTO -‐ A film about the aboriginal rights activists, ecologists and locals who have worked together to rejuvenate British Columbia's Haida Gwaii has won the best Canadian feature documentary award from the Hot Docs Festival. Director Charles Wilkinson's "Haida Gwaii: On the Edge of the World" claimed the $10,000 prize as the jury praised its "stunning cinematography." A $5,000 special jury prize went to Sophie Deraspe's "The Amina Profile." And the emerging Canadian filmmaker award went to director Ryan Mullins, whose "Chameleon" concerns a Ghanaian journalist famous for his unique methods.
Day Three at Hot Docs
By: Staff | April 25, 2015
http://www.northernstars.ca/News/01504251010_hotdocs.html It's Day Three at Hot Docs, also almost never referred to as the Canadian International Documentary Festival. There are more than 50 films on today's schedule screening across the city's core on this first day of the first weekend of the festival. As always, our concern is with those Canadian films on the schedule. Two films screening today had their debut at Hot Docs yesterday and you can read about them in an earlier item. Those films are Jesus Town, USA and Transatlantic.
Of the other Canadian films on today's schedule, three are within the Canadian Spectrum series and two are Special Presentations. Chameleon from director Ryan Mullins tells the remarkable tale of a shape-‐ shifting investigativejournalist working the tough streets and back alleys of a concept. The concept is democracy and his chosen beat is the country of Ghana. Anas Aremeyaw Anas works on three basic principles: naming, shaming and jailing. His undercover disguises and unorthodox detective methods have earned him a James Bond–like reputation as a people’s hero, yet his face remains unknown. Collaborating with local law authorities, his stories appear in print and TV, earning him both admirers and those critical of his practices. It becomes clear that he is equally driven to both pursue perpetrators and capture sensational video footage in the process. Think of this doc as a modern day spy thriller with a real life cast of characters that deserve your attention. Chameleon screens at 5:30 today at the Royal Cinema on College Street in Toronto's Little Italy neighbourhood just west of downtown.
Wylie Writes @ Hot Docs 2015 By: Gesilayefa Azorbo | April 1, 2015
http://wyliewrites.com/wylie-‐writes-‐hot-‐docs-‐2015/ Each year, the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival seems to be getting bigger and better. Considering the press conference at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema on March 18 announcing the 2015 edition, the festival shows no signs of slowing down. Hot Docs ’15 offers 210 films in total (the largest offering of films in the festival’s history to date) and 102 world premieres. Not to mention projected attendance figures of 200,000 – the largest yet. Among the announcements made about the festival, another interesting statistic that stands out is the fact that 40% of this year’s selections are female directors, also the highest amount to date. This year also sees several exciting initiatives, including an increased focus on interactive docs through the one-‐night-‐ only live presentation of Kat Cizek’s Highrise: Universe Within, and the free, week-‐long DOCX Virtual Reality showcase featuring four documentaries shot with revolutionary stereoscopic video and using Oculus Rift technology, designed specifically to be experienced through virtual reality headsets. Chameleon (dir. Ryan Mullins, Canada) “A Ghanaian investigative journalist with a dash of James Bond rises to become a national hero as he slips into disguise undercover to expose corruption and injustice while on a relentless campaign of ‘naming, shaming and jailing’ criminals.”
HotDocs 2015 – My list of chosen screenings By: PARTICPELIC | March 23, 2015
https://particularpelicula.wordpress.com/2015/03/23/hotdocs-‐2015-‐my-‐list-‐of-‐chosen-‐screenings/ Finally got through the incredible list of documentaries and shorts in this years Canadian International Documentary Festival, or HotDocs,(from April 23rd to May 3rd 2015). I bought a pack of 20 tickets over a month ago and poured through the films to choose from. Of course, my preference is to support stories with a multicultural, impactful topic, expecially those that feature people of colour and women, or the activities that affect the lives of the most vulnerable. That’s what this blog is all about. I will be writing about each of these visual works of art after the screenings, so here is the list of the documentaries I chose to see in, alphabetical order. Chameleon Defending a free press is a fundamental pillar of a strong democracy. In Ghana, corruption and legal loopholes undermine the nation’s progress, but one investigative journalist has made it his mission to hold power to account. Anas Aremeyaw Anas works on three basic principles: naming, shaming and jailing. His undercover disguises and unorthodox detective methods have earned him a James Bond–like reputation as a people’s hero, yet his face remains unknown. Collaborating with local law authorities, his stories appear in print and TV, earning him both admirers and those critical of his practices. It becomes clear that he is equally driven to both pursue perpetrators and capture sensational video footage in the process. In this modern spy thriller, filmmaker Ryan Mullins follows Anas hot on the heels of his latest case as he infiltrates a religious sect in an isolated village hoping to expose human trafficking, all the while keeping his identity a mystery.
Hot Docs Canadian Spectrum promises great things By: Jessica Richard |
http://humbernews.ca/hot-‐docs-‐canadian-‐spectrum-‐promises-‐great-‐things/ Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival 2015 will be screening 210 films from 44 different countries from April 23 to May 3. There are 18 films in the Canadian Spectrum lineup in a variety of themes and genres including, spy thriller, nature, addiction and mental health. Each of these eight films show promise of being intriguing, informative and heart-‐wrenching. From stories covering major news to personal accounts, these documentaries tells its own compelling tale. Chameleon A fast paced modern day spy type thriller that promises to be intense and informative. The film is about Anas, an investigative reporter and his next big case. Anas has been called the James Bond of Ghanaian journalism and uses unorthodox methods to uncover his stories. Despite the notoriety that surrounds Anas the public has never seen his face. The film takes you behind the scenes of the Tiger Eye Investigations Bureau on the heels of his next big case.
HOT DOCS 2015 AWARDS ANNOUNCED By: Courtney Small | May 3, 2015
http://cinemaaxis.com/2015/05/03/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐awards-‐announced/ The Emerging Canadian Filmmaker Award, sponsored by Panicaro Foundation, is given to a first or second-‐time Canadian filmmaker with a feature film in the Canadian Spectrum program. The award includes a $5,000 cash prize courtesy of Panicaro Foundatio and was presented to director Ryan Mullins for CHAMELEON (Canada), which follows a Ghanaian investigative journalist famous for using undercover disguises and unorthodox detective methods. Jury statement: “Ryan Mullins took us into a world few see and somehow made an identity for a character whose face we never view. The courage and integrity to create such a film while balancing roles as director, producer and cinematographer is extraordinary.”
Hot Docs Announces 2015 Award Winners By: Carol | May 2, 2015
http://twinlensfilm.com/?p=8030
Hot Docs has just announced the winners of this year’s festival handing out $61,000 in cash and prizes to doc filmmakers from around the world for films in competition from both established and emerging filmmakers. The awarded films were chosen by four juries in each of the following categories: The Canadian Feature Documentary, International Feature, Mid-‐Length and Shorts. Here is the list from today’s ceremony: Emerging Canadian Filmmaker Award Ryan Mullins, CHAMELEON Sponsored by Panicaro Foundation, the award includes a $5,000 prize courtesy of the Panicaro Foundation.
'Haida Gwaii' film wins top prize at Hot Docs By: Cassandra Szklarski | May 1, 2015
http://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/haida-‐gwaii-‐film-‐wins-‐top-‐prize-‐at-‐hot-‐docs-‐1.2355245 And the emerging Canadian filmmaker award went to director Ryan Mullins, whose "Chameleon" concerns a Ghanaian journalist famous for his unique methods.
Haida Gwaii film wins top Hot Docs prize By: The Canadian Press | May 1, 2015
http://blackburnnews.com/bri-‐entertainment/2015/05/01/hot-‐docs-‐awards-‐prizes-‐for-‐short-‐film-‐pitches/ TORONTO -‐ A film about the aboriginal rights activists, ecologists and locals who have worked together to rejuvenate British Columbia's Haida Gwaii has won the best Canadian feature documentary award from the Hot Docs Festival. Director Charles Wilkinson's "Haida Gwaii: On the Edge of the World" claimed the $10,000 prize as the jury praised its "stunning cinematography." A $5,000 special jury prize went to Sophie Deraspe's "The Amina Profile." And the emerging Canadian filmmaker award went to director Ryan Mullins, whose "Chameleon" concerns a Ghanaian journalist famous for his unique methods. Anas’ methods are eccentric and he faces a growing criticism of them. The film expounds upon that by giving the viewer and unflinching view into Anas’ heartfelt need to expose injustice, but doing so maybe at the expense of the people he’s trying to save. This is probably the first detective thriller documentary I’ve seen at Hot Docs.
Documentary about B.C.'s Haida Gwaii wins top prize from Hot Docs By: Cassandra Szklarski | May 5, 2015
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-‐and-‐life/entertainment/movies/proposed-‐short-‐film-‐about-‐cree-‐code-‐ talkers-‐wins-‐30000-‐pitch-‐prize-‐302204971.html TORONTO -‐ A film about the aboriginal rights activists, ecologists and locals who have worked together to rejuvenate British Columbia's Haida Gwaii has won the best Canadian feature documentary award from the Hot Docs Festival. Director Charles Wilkinson's "Haida Gwaii: On the Edge of the World" claimed the $10,000 prize as the jury praised its "stunning cinematography." A $5,000 special jury prize went to Sophie Deraspe's "The Amina Profile." And the emerging Canadian filmmaker award went to director Ryan Mullins, whose "Chameleon" concerns a Ghanaian journalist famous for his unique methods.
All pictures taken by GAT during the festival are available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/97627695@N03/sets/72157649934272113
We’ve gathered social media reactions gathered at Hot Docs here: https://storify.com/gatpr/chameleon
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