Review of The Ground We Won (2015) by Kathleen W — 09 Jan 2018

Stumbled across this documentary last year and it was easily one of the best films I saw in 2017. The characters and scenery and storytelling are beautiful but mostly I want to understand how a critique of rural masculinity, shot in black and white and contrasting landscapes with drunken hazing rituals, managed to feel human and respectful rather than pretentious or judgemental.

There isn't an inherent divide between the images and language of 'high art' and the truths of working people in small communities, and thank God, because this was a beautiful portrait.