Rhino Season
2012
No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 5.5 out of 10
You are here:
Find another title
Type to search for movies. Use arrow keys to navigate suggestions, Enter to select, Escape to close.
438 Days
2019
Director
Jesper Ganslandt
Runtime
124 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetSynopsis
On the eve of June 28th, 2011 Swedish journalists Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson put everything at stake by illegally crossing the border from Somalia into Ethiopia. After months of research, planning and failed attempts, they were finally on their way to report on how the ruthless hunt for oil effected the population of the isolated and conflict-ridden Ogaden region. Five days later they lay wounded in the desert sand, shot and captured by the Ethiopian army. But when their initial reportage died, another story began. A story about lawlessness, propaganda and global politics. After a Kafkaesque trial they were sentenced to eleven years in prison for terrorism. And they were far from alone. Their cellmates were journalists, writers and politicians persecuted for not bowing down to dictatorship. Their reportage about oil was transformed into a story about ink, and their daily lives turned into a fight for survival inside the notorious Kality prison in Addis Ababa.
Where to Watch
Diversity & Representation
Overall Score
5.1/10
Fair
Category Breakdown
LGBTQ+ Representation
The film contains no LGBTQ+ characters or narratives. The story focuses exclusively on the geopolitical and psychological survival of the protagonists within a restrictive sociopolitical environment.
Gender Representation
The narrative is heavily centered on male protagonists, reflecting the historical reality of the journalists. While it avoids promoting gender hierarchies, it lacks significant female agency in the primary conflict.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
The film provides meaningful representation by centering the intersection of Western individuals and East African landscapes. It portrays local populations and systemic forces as active participants rather than mere backdrops.
Religious & Cultural Diversity
The film effectively critiques state-run institutions and global power dynamics. It frames the struggle for truth against resource extraction, deconstructing institutional legitimacy through the depiction of a corrupt judicial process.
Disability Representation
The film explores the psychological impact of isolation and physical trauma. These elements are treated as consequences of captivity rather than central identities or tools for inspiration.
Strengths
- Effective critique of global power dynamics and state-run institutions.
- Meaningful representation of East African socio-political landscapes.
- Disrupts Western-centric tropes by centering non-Western systemic forces.
Areas for Improvement
- Lack of female agency and significant female characters.
- Absence of LGBTQ+ representation or non-heteronormative narratives.
- Heavy reliance on a male-centric cast and perspective.
AI Analysis
438 Days is a gritty, realist drama that prioritizes the visceral experience of political instability. It succeeds as a sophisticated critique of global power structures, specifically the friction between individual agency and systemic corruption. The film's strength lies in its ability to move the lens away from Western-centric perspectives. By focusing on the Ogaden region and the Ethiopian prison system, it disrupts traditional hero tropes and highlights the exploitation driven by resource extraction. However, the film remains limited by a heavily male-dominated cast. While this reflects historical accuracy, the lack of female agency and the absence of LGBTQ+ narratives result in a narrow demographic scope.
Similar Movies
Rate this Movie
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!
Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.