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Land of Plenty (2004 film)
Encyclopedia
Land of Plenty is a 2004 drama film
directed by Wim Wenders
starring Michelle Williams and John Diehl. The title of the film comes from the song "The Land of Plenty", written by Leonard Cohen
and Sharon Robinson
, which was used in the movie.
United States as seen through the eyes of Lana (Williams), an American girl who has lived in Africa and the Middle East for years with her missionary
parents. She is returning from a long trip to the West Bank
. In Los Angeles, she works at a homeless mission and looks up her only living relative in the US, her late mother's brother, Paul (Diehl). He is a paranoid Vietnam
veteran who drives around filming and spying on Arab
s and people with Arab features. Lana, in contrast, leans toward anti-war
convictions and has been changed by her experiences abroad, so feels outside American culture.
Having first-hand knowledge of the Middle East
and Africa
, she sees similarities between the slums of Los Angeles
and those of the Third World
. After she and Paul see the murder of a young Pakistani outside the mission, they take his body to his family. Their road trip offers Paul a different view of Arab home life. Over the course of the film, Paul and Lana learn more about each other.
and hand-held Panasonic AG-DVX100
camera, so the production time was cut to a minimum.
In the United States
, the film was distributed by IFC Films
.
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Wim Wenders
Wim Wenders
Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders is a German film director, playwright, author, photographer and producer.-Early life:Wenders was born in Düsseldorf. He graduated from high school in Oberhausen in the Ruhr area. He then studied medicine and philosophy in Freiburg and Düsseldorf...
starring Michelle Williams and John Diehl. The title of the film comes from the song "The Land of Plenty", written by Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
and Sharon Robinson
Sharon Robinson
Sharon Robinson is an American songwriter, record producer, and vocalist. She is best known as a frequent writing collaborator with Leonard Cohen, although she has written songs for a number of other artists as well, including Aaron Neville, Diana Ross, Don Henley, Randy Crawford, Roberta Flack,...
, which was used in the movie.
Plot
The movie presents a view of post-9/11September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
United States as seen through the eyes of Lana (Williams), an American girl who has lived in Africa and the Middle East for years with her missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
parents. She is returning from a long trip to the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. In Los Angeles, she works at a homeless mission and looks up her only living relative in the US, her late mother's brother, Paul (Diehl). He is a paranoid Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
veteran who drives around filming and spying on Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s and people with Arab features. Lana, in contrast, leans toward anti-war
Anti-war
An anti-war movement is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conflicts. Many...
convictions and has been changed by her experiences abroad, so feels outside American culture.
Having first-hand knowledge of the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, she sees similarities between the slums of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and those of the Third World
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
. After she and Paul see the murder of a young Pakistani outside the mission, they take his body to his family. Their road trip offers Paul a different view of Arab home life. Over the course of the film, Paul and Lana learn more about each other.
Production
The film was shot using the digitalDigital
A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...
and hand-held Panasonic AG-DVX100
Panasonic AG-DVX100
The Panasonic AG-DVX100 was the first affordable digital progressive scan camcorder.The camera is popular among television studios and is popular with independent film makers because of its many film-emulating features and has a large following. Currently the latest and last revision is the DVX102B...
camera, so the production time was cut to a minimum.
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the film was distributed by IFC Films
IFC Films
IFC Films is an American film distribution company based in New York, owned by AMC Networks. It distributes independent films and documentaries under the IFC Films, Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight. It operates the IFC Center....
.