• by Kelly Samardak , March 3, 2009

Disarm. Screening, Scandinavia House, New York
March 2, 2009

I need to start this one out with some disclaimer action --- more for your sensitivities than mine. One, obviously because of the heft of the subject -- a documentary about the movement to remove the use of landmines and the literally explosive work around that movement -- the snark is on snooze. Two, this column still is what it is, though, and any insertion of smirk is simply to do what I always do and have done my entire life -- inject a little levity into what is most certainly a heated political issue and a deeply moving humanitarian effort (regardless of your political views). With that, I also hope you understand that any reactions I have to panelists and the content of the documentary are my own and certainly shouldn't be seen as MediaPost the company's endorsing one stand or the other. Got it? Ok, let's move on. Also, no one asked me to write that; I used my own sloppy grey blob to make that choice.

I know I spread location love around a lot, but I have to say it: I love Scandinavia House, The Nordic Center In America. I never knew it existed, maybe because I'm not Scandinavian. Either way, as I waited outside for communications and editorial super guru for IBM, Rebecca Reyes, I couldn't help but covet the adorable fuzzy sheep hanging out on the floor of their store. Situated behind the fluffy sheep and Scandinavian textile extravaganza is the Smorgas Chef -- a high-class cafeteria touting Swedish meatballs and lingonberries. I pretended not to see the tempting food as I scooted past the tables and checked in. The screening of "Disarm " was down the stairs, and even at 6 p.m. on the dot (the publicized start time), my lovely guest and I were some of the first guests. I was surprised to see a reception table with red and white wine and bubbly water laid out --- here I'd thought it would be a stuffy panel followed by the screening, nothing too social. I was wrong.

The room quickly filled with indie film types including Bob Alexander, President and Co-founder of IndiePix, a New York-based, but worldwide-reaching , distributor of strictly independent films. They're sort of a supremely targeted Netflix for the indie-loving-and-creating crowd. They've created a "burn-to-own" system where, instead of waiting in Uruguay for your air and road delivered commercial quality copy of "Disarm, " you can burn it directly from the site to DVD. Instant screening-ready. It should also be noted that Bob Alexander's tie was fantastic. Beets on chevre resting on crostinis were trundled through the mingling crowd, which eventually trickled into the auditorium for the screening. Now, I understand the need for the big political players and influencers to hop on the box of soap and reassert their mission, but shouldn't the film speak even louder?

I'd be a jackass not to recognize the blood and guts Columbia's "Permanent Ambassador " Claudia Blum; Stephen Goose, Executive Director of the Arms Division at Human Rights Watch (HRW); Norway's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Mona Juul; and "Disarm" Executive Producer and Director, Mary Wareham (of whom Steve Goose was very palpably proud), but cue the tape! So, here's what you should know:

"Disarm "is incredibly graphic. It has to be. I'm incredibly desensitized to human suffering (I viewed all "Faces of Death" tapes at a very young age), so it takes unfathomable gore to get me. For some reason the results of an elephant stepping on a landmine hurt me the most. It's like animals are the only truly innocent victims (and of course, children). If you can't handle the imagery of a young man receiving woodsman-style medical assistance for his landmine-inspired injury, you might not make it through the doc.

"With the quality of films on IndiePix, you will no longer need the nightly news" -- Bob Alexander. Bob's opinion is based on what he has seen, the beauty of the photography and filmography, and the raw honesty of the content -- he questioned why you would turn on the nightly news for entertainment- stylized summaries when you could see the situation as it really is from inside. I'd have to counter that with agendas. Documentary or not, everyone has an agenda. I still subscribe to the "diverse portfolio of news" advice my AP English professor dumped on me.

Afghanistan's largest industry is prosthetic leg manufacturing, according to the documentary. The men and women interviewed are survivors in ways that I can't comprehend. They lose a leg (and more, a lot more) and get fitted for a prosthetic as soon as possible so they can go out and risk their lives again to gather wood to keep their families warm. Or they begin building new homes where wars destroyed them ---next to a de-miner poking his stick in the dirt to unearth buried mines.

I stopped taking notes to absorb the film with the respectful attention it deserved. For shocking statistics and affirmation that yours really isn't the worst job on earth (ask the Yugoslavian military fellow how it feels to be part of a de-mining effort and coming across a mine that you know you planted) get yourself a copy of "Disarm."

Motivating the troops with a party? Invite kelly@mediapost.com !

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