The Ambassador ((Ambassadoren))

'The Ambassador'A Zentropa Real Aps presentation, in colaboration with New Danish Screen, in co-production with Film i Huge, Zentropa Intl. Sweden. (Worldwide sales: Trust Nordisk, Copenhagen.) Created by Peter Engel, Carsten Holst. Executive producers, Peter Aalbaek Jensen, Peter Garde. Co-producers, Petri Rossi, Peter p Maegd, Madeleine Ekman. Directed by Mads Brugger. Script, Maja Jul Larsen, Brugger.With: Mads Brugger, Avoi Jakobsen, Colin Evans, Varney Sherman, Dalkia Gilbert, Albert, Bernard, Paul. (British, French, Danish, Sango dialogue)Shot totally on hidden cameras, troubling docu "The Ambassador" tracks Danish helmer Mads Brugger ("The Red-colored Chapel") on the semicomic, semiserious mission to reveal how easy it's to fake a name to be able to bribe authorities and smuggle bloodstream diamonds from central Africa. Considering that Brugger works in subjecting corruption which will surprise nobody, questions remain in regards to what much deeper points the pic is attempting to make, as the representation from the local people teeters around the fringe of racism. However, if auds aren't troubled by such issues, "The Ambassador" should make diplomatic missions to help fests and TV shops. Getting shaved his mind, donned a expensive suit, and adopted "Mads Cortzen" as his alias, Brugger will get lower to business within the opening minutes by settling with restless Liverpuddlian Colin Evans, shot without Evans' awareness. Evans signifies a business that effectively sells diplomatic sexual and status to individuals likely to conduct business in nations such as the Central African Republic (Vehicle), where bloodstream diamonds can be purchased -- the biz Brugger hints to Evans he wants to get involved with. Before lengthy, Brugger/Cortzen is owning a Liberian diplomatic passport, even though papers that guarantee full diplomatic status remain tantalizingly unobtainable through out the pic, despite numerous telephone calls to fixers and funds bribes moved through the amusingly entitled "the envelopes of happiness." Brugger creates shop in CAR's capital, Bangui, and proceeds to oil the wheels of commerce with further the envelopes, particularly to government apparatchik Dalkia Gilbert, who easily also runs a gemstone mine. Requiring a protective cover story to describe his presence in Vehicle, Brugger pretends to become establishing a match factory employing pygmies, which at some point occasions a "pygmy party" in a native village. Two stoical, poker-faced pygmies, known only as Albert and Bernard, are utilized as his assistants, and finally Brugger claims they are the only real local people he feels he is able to trust, particularly when it begins to appear like his translator, Paul, is within cahoots with Gilbert. It soon becomes obvious that within this postcolonial economy, nearly everybody is to scam everybody else. It's for this point the pic appears to become edging into politically incorrect territory as, Albert and Bernard aside, nearly every African is symbolized as buffoonish, venal or both, although to become fair, all of the Men and women appear just like morally reprehensible, otherwise much more. Ultimately, auds may begin to question what novel information exactly continues to be uncovered with this journey into what's, to explain Brugger, Africa's spleen of darkness. Nevertheless, Brugger guarantees it is a fairly entertaining trip, particularly when he begins to savor engaging in character because the dubious whitened guy in Africa. Jaunty tunes in the nineteen thirties, '40s and '50s provide the montages some bounce, adding a layer of cynical irony that's tossed into increased relief by periodic moments of real menace and outright danger. Thinking about almost all the footage was shot on hidden small-DV cameras, lensing looks good around the bigscreen, and editing by Carsten Sosted, Kimmo Taavila and Leif Axel Kjeldsen keeps the narrative flowing easily.Camera (color, HD), Johan Stahl Winthereik editor, Carsten Sosted, Kimmo Taavila, Leif Axel Kjeldsen music, Niclas Schak, Container Soheili seem, Stahl Winthereik seem designers, Hendes Kock, Andreas Kongsgaard Mogensen supervisory seem editor, Jum Korsgaard line producer, Charlotte now Vinther connect producer, Jonas Bagger. Examined at Intl. Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (opener), November. 20, 2011. Running time: 93 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com