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Who is the man on the left? Depends whom you ask. Either: ‘He looks not quite honest or something, I don’t know … There’s some sort of cunningness in him.’ Or: ‘East European, quite genuine person, probably quite likes to go out for a few pints.’
These are just a couple of the comments made when 29 strangers from London’s diverse East End gathered to watch videos of each other and make judgments based on appearance alone. What can be gleaned from a face? As everyone takes a turn as judge, what do their analyses say about their own preconceptions and worldview? An absorbing and frequently surprising social experiment, Conversation was originally presented as a two-screen art installation before screening at film festivals, including the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival and the 2007 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.
Director: Lenka Clayton, James Price
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Rituals and celebrations
A beginner’s guide to a joyful Persian tradition of spring renewal and rebirth
3 minutes
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Politics and government
How it looked to Afghan women to see the Taliban return to power
33 minutes
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Love and friendship
Love looks a bit different for a chain-smoking couple in a small apartment
11 minutes
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Biography and memoir
Passed over as the first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight carved out an impressive second act
13 minutes
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The ancient world
The six priestesses who kept the flame of ancient Rome alight at risk of death
5 minutes
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Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes
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Architecture
West Africa was once an architectural laboratory. Is it time for a revival?
12 minutes
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Work
A Swedish expat in the Philippines wonders: what’s up with people sleeping at work?
14 minutes
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Biography and memoir
The unique life philosophy of Abdi, born in Somalia, living in the Netherlands
29 minutes