Culture

At Berkeley is an in-depth, atmospheric documentary study of what life is like at the University of California, one of the most prestigious universities in the world today. Any movie that examines a famous academic institution with amazing facilities, scarily intelligent students, and incredible sporting and arts programmes is worth a watch, but At Berkeley adds a new dimension of curiosity by taking place during Berkeley’s financial kerfuffle (to put it lightly). In 2010, the University was hit with a budget crisis that forced them slash job roles and send waves of fear across students already paying monster fees. This is the undercurrent of At Berkeley, but the film is much more than economic panic.

At Berkeleytakes on the ambitious task of portraying what life is like not only for students, but for lecturers, academics and administrators. This film is a fascinating watch for us here at Otago because it presents the familiar, but also that which is completely bizarre for our own University. The class discussions are everything from heated, to awkward, to downright offensive, and there’s something painfully familiar about the sympathetic applause given during the amateur theatre performances. Just when you’ve had enough cringing at that which is too close to home, At Berkeley throws something at you that would only happen at one of America’s highest ranking schools: hundred-piece marching bands; footballers running through theatrical smoke to get onto the field; thousands of students protesting, wearing good old-fashioned berets and portable microphones ... It’s all so stereotypical it’s hard to believe it’s real. That’s the beauty of this film: it puts some myths to rest and qualifies others.

Frederick Wiseman’s technique to really let the atmosphere of the school sink in is to present very long scenes without narration, giving one the feeling that they are a fly on the wall, or even better, a student in the room. This method is extremely successful but it does come at a price; At Berkeley is over four hours long. So, bring snacks, don’t drink any coffee prior, and sink in to experience what it is truly like At Berkeley.

At Berkely is screening at Rialto Cinemas:
1:30pm Thursday 7 August