Because the opportunity simply arose, and because these new small digital cameras make it possible to film alone, without a crew, with discretion and freedom, to capture a country, its people, and its traditions in a natural and spontaneous way. It was Reza Serkanian’s first journey to the African continent. His perspective, both as a man and as a filmmaker, was fresh and inquisitive, eager for understanding and knowledge. It is that unspoiled gaze he sought to preserve and to share through this documentary, entitled Those Who Eat Wood.
The film unfolds like an impressionist painting of Gabon, revealing the daily lives of its people, at times through personal stories, but also through more official aspects of society, whether economic or political. A portrait far removed from stereotypes about Africa and from the conventional mechanisms of documentary filmmaking. Reza Serkanian paints a picture of this Central African country as if we ourselves were holding the brushes. A raw documentary canvas, an objective vision not steered toward imposed interpretations or suggested opinions. A discreet filmmaker, and an unconventional, vividly alive documentary. Gabon speaks for itself. Those Who Eat Wood is a film we had the opportunity to see at the African film festival “Lumières d’Afrique”, organized by A.P.A.C.A., an event dedicated to promoting African arts and cultures.
Epra

This is a travel narrative. Stories of Gabonese lives in today’s Gabon, moving between private and public spheres, where the very meaning of being a Gabonese citizen is questioned by a young French journalist working for AFP. Reza offers a documentary retracing a story of contemporary Gabon, while maintaining a sense of modesty and distance in the way he holds the camera and presents these images from elsewhere to viewers, whether informed or not, inviting us to turn our gaze toward this part of sub-Saharan Africa.
Between the uprising of Gabonese youth and those in power, between economic and political stakes, between dreams, realities, and the aspirations of this young generation, the stories of Gabon past and present intersect, and likely always will.
The strength of the film lies not in the depth of its ideas but in the interplay of its images. Concise and panoramic, it is an engaging introduction to the history of Gabon.
Radio Londres