Kendrick, a young calf roper from Lafayette, dreams of some day making it to the national championship. Like any tale of someone with a dream, his quest is that of determination, perseverance and remaining strong in the face of obstacles.
What Ewan McNicol and Anna Sandilands' documentary short covers during its brief runtime is the nature of ambition and defying expectation. Amidst the images of Kendrick demonstrating his roping skills in-and-outside of the ring, voiceover interviews outline his dreams and enthusiasm, while noting the unlikelihood of a black man from New Orleans entering what is primarily a Southern white field.
But the dirty he looks he gets from older white men is secondary to the infectious spirit of following dreams regardless of negative external stimuli.
Since this is just a brief look at a documentary subject, The Roper is limited to broad assertions of achieving goals. Had there been some exploration of the nature of American identity construction versus the socialization of the masses to believe in individual importance, this could have been a more balanced and intriguing documentary short.
(Lucid)What Ewan McNicol and Anna Sandilands' documentary short covers during its brief runtime is the nature of ambition and defying expectation. Amidst the images of Kendrick demonstrating his roping skills in-and-outside of the ring, voiceover interviews outline his dreams and enthusiasm, while noting the unlikelihood of a black man from New Orleans entering what is primarily a Southern white field.
But the dirty he looks he gets from older white men is secondary to the infectious spirit of following dreams regardless of negative external stimuli.
Since this is just a brief look at a documentary subject, The Roper is limited to broad assertions of achieving goals. Had there been some exploration of the nature of American identity construction versus the socialization of the masses to believe in individual importance, this could have been a more balanced and intriguing documentary short.