The Devil’s Miner is heartbreaking and heavy direct cinema documentary that can leave the viewer feeling sympathy and pity. But, if approached with the right mindset, the film can also leave the viewer with a message of human strength in the face of adversity. The film presents many themes to call people to action, such as social injustice, and the problems with child labor, but the main theme that resonates throughout the film is that strength can be found even in the darkest of places. The directors of The Devil’s Miner employ a filming style that allows the people of Potosi to have the loudest voice possible. This form of Direct Cinema documentary is highly effective and contributes to the theme of strength from within. There is no narration, interjections from film crew or directors. Since the viewer gets a direct view into Potosi citizens’ …show more content…
They can also see the strength of Basilio and his family. The filmmakers offer haunting images rather than analysis and facts, and never sentimentalize the protagonist and his issues. Because of this approach to filmmaking, Basilio can be more easily viewed as a hardworking individual who is trying to find a better life for himself and his family rather than an object of sympathy. The viewers, though affected by the haunting images of a 14 year old boy laboring in dangerous settings, are in awe of his diligence, and want to do something to make a difference. This is a far more effective strategy to truly make a difference than simply presenting Basilio and the people of Potosi as a pity story. The interviews that take place only consist of words from the people of Potosi. In this way, the people of Potosi tell the story of their own lives, rather than a director looking from the outside and recounting the story of these people’s lives. We experience firsthand the effects of child labor, of children taking on