By Emily Brooks
In the informative documentary Root of Life by director Laura Nguyen, the audience hears Dr. Nika Tsato Kax’Oxo speak about and teach the importance of healthy food, Ivy Flores express her concern with keeping Belizean culture alive through food, and Dr. Tehu Kax’Oxo II emphasize the need to take care of the environment and maintain the biodiversity of the rainforest and its foods.
I thought this short film was well done in many ways. I liked the storytelling, which shared each person’s perspective separately. The audience could understand each individual and their goals before seeing how their themes tied together. The pacing was slow enough to develop each story but quick enough to avoid lingering. It felt like each person got their time to shine and share their perspective without the overall film feeling too long.
The cinematography was beautiful, particularly the shots of the rainforest and its plants, offering an insider’s view of Belize. I was intrigued throughout and would have loved to learn more about the cultural dishes and healthy recipes they taught. I wanted to know more about how they teach children about healthy eating and the resources they use to help integrate it into their community.
The storytelling, pacing, and cinematography were well done, and I learned quite a few things. However, I wish it went more in-depth about the healthy foods being made and taught and about Belizean culture.
I would give it 4 out of 5 stars.
Emily Brooks is a recent graduate of Moraine Park Technical College, where she earned an AAS in Graphic Communications, as well as Web Development and Design, and graduated with high honors as a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
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