Georgianna Dolan-Reilly, LMSW

Georgianna Dolan-Reilly, LMSW

Social Justice Solutions | Staff Writer
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National Geographic’s Life In A Day

Last night I had the opportunity to watch National Geographic’s documentary Life In A Day and it was a great way to finish the Thanksgiving weekend. In 2010, National Geographic put out a request for individuals to film their lives on the day of July 24th 2010. As a part of this request, they received over 4500 hours of film from over 142 countries and from there created this film. The film was chronologically put together in a manner that depicted an ‘ordinary day’ in order from waking to going to bed and asked videographers to answer several simple questions including “What’s in your pocket or purse?”, “What do you love?, and “What do you fear”.

From the simple, to the daring this film was full of both little and big moments that all contained a beauty in and of themselves. Some of the most touching moments included an interview with a 14 member family who lives in a single room in a cemetery, a surprise proposal, and an interview with a man who just had extensive heart surgery. Some of the more humorous moments included an exchange of vows at a 50th anniversary in which they wrote each other’s vows. But some of the most beautiful moments didn’t contain words, they just were. They simply showed both the simplicity and complexity of a day in the life of humans and the world in which we live. Violence and sorrow were not omitted from the film, and juxtapositions comparing societies or view points were intentionally planned, which made the film all the more realistic of our true reality.

It was a truly great documentary that touched on what it is to be human in every dimension. It is interesting to see what individuals chose to film, what they felt was worth their recognition and discussion, and that of the world. When it boils down to it we all have the same blood, we all share so much, it’s just a matter of perspective and outward portrayal. We all smile, cry, wake up in the morning, eat, value individuals and things in our lives, and bleed. We all want to in some way be remembered and be more than we currently are, although being just ourselves might be all that is needed in the long run. This film did an amazing job of showing this in my opinion, but see for yourself if you are interested:

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