(Documentary) Movie of the Day: All you see (2022) by Niki Padidar

When does a newcomer to a country stop being “new,” and really belong? The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam’s opening night film draws on director Niki Padidar’s own experience of coming to the Netherlands from Iran as a seven-year-old. In a beautiful mix of interview and staged projection, Padidar introduces three immigrants: Khadija, who came from Somalia 27 years ago; Sophia, who has just “come over” from England; and Hannah from Ukraine, who watches cartoons and films to learn how to blend in. Khadija is endlessly asked, “Where are you from, do you speak Dutch, does your skin tan in the sun?”; Sophia’s only complaint is that she misses her friends; and Hannah can simply watch cartoons to learn how to pass. Far more than an anecdotal accounting of Dutch racism and not-so-micro-aggressions, this artful examination of otherness offers up an honest discussion about what it means to be seen or stared at anywhere today. Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22871638/ Link Review: https://variety.com/2022/film/global/niki-padidar-idfa-all-you-see-1235426675/ Link to watch: https://hotdocs.ca/whats-on/hot-docs-festival/films/2023/all-you-see (available online in Canada, till 7th May)