The Ax Fight

Unlike any other film, The Ax Fight demonstrates to viewers how editing can morph one's understanding, thoughts, and even the subject viewed in a film. By showing unedited data from an exciting incident in Northern Amazonia followed by a "slick" edited version, Asch and field anthropologist Napolean Chagnon use film to teach the necesity of critical analysis even when viewing non-fiction works.

aschaxfight.jpgThe Ax Fight begins with the creators explaining that they had just arrived in this community two days prior. Their understanding of the following conflict was very limited and must have proved to be quite a frightening second day.

 

The Ax Fight was also created to explain kinship and family ties. Tim Asch produced films for the purpose of teaching anthropological concepts to introductory Cultural Anthropology classes. Being able to use film to teach concepts like kinship ties in a community or to what lengths people will go to protect and serve their community is not easy. However it is certainly accomplished in Napolean Chagnon and Timothy Asch's, The Ax Fight.

 

The Ax Fight can be purchased from Documentary Educational Resources.
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