A few weeks ago, I had the chance to watch the short documentary All That Is Sacred directed by Scott Ballew. Immediately after watching it, I felt comfort thinking about what it will mean for all of the people who will watch it.
I saw this film either late at night or early in the morning, depending on your perspective. It’s not often that a short documentary can inform and also bring a tear to your eye.
A great documentary is one that magnifies a specific era or subject. It gives an accurate, human portrait into the lives of people who sometimes had no idea that what they experienced was remarkable.
Listen to the All That Is Sacred documentary review here:
All That Is Sacred is a tale of friendship, fishing, writing and Key West
In just 34 minutes, All That Is Sacred tells the true tale of a close knit group of friends united by a love of fishing (namely tarpon), writing and wild partying down in Key West, Florida in the late 1960s.
Much has been said or written about the wild times had in Key West in the 1960s and 1970s, and while others would be tempted to solely tell a sensational story, All That Is Sacred wisely shares something much more meaningful. This is a film that takes you to the heart of an under-appreciated story and reveals the humanity.
Archival film and new interviews reveal an intimate story
All That Is Sacred expertly pieces together archival footage and new interviews with Thomas McGuane, Jim Harrison, Guy de la Valdene, Richard Brautigan and Jimmy Buffett, all men who created great work that continues to be discovered by new audiences.
The documentary also features some illuminating perspectives from Carl Hiaasen, Laurie Buffett McGuane and Diana Odassa. All had vantage points indelible to the story, and all were able to provide just the right amount of objectivity and intimacy.
Thomas McGuane is married to Laurie Buffett McGuane. She told me I wasn’t the only one to have an emotional reaction to All That Is Sacred. Speaking of her brother she said:
“I remember Jimmy calling Tom and me after he had seen the first cut. He told me he cried watching it. Tom and Jimmy talked and talked about the good ole days.”
Some are familiar with the seldom scene film Tarpon, known as an underground classic in the fly-fishing world. You could look at All That Is Sacred as a natural follow-up to that film.
Filmmaker Ballew reveals idiosyncrasy and personality
The visual appeal of this film has a lot to do with its allure. The archival film and new material both keep the same soft appearance. Beauty in a documentary film is sometimes set aside or overshadowed in order to give more information, but not this one. What Ballew has done here is captured idiosyncrasy.
Photos and videos of people doing seemingly mundane things communicate so much. You want to get an idea of what someone is like? Watch how they eat. Listen to how they talk to their dog. It can’t only be about profundity.
This group of writers and artists were undoubtedly characters even in an offbeat place like Key West. All That Is Sacred becomes less about fishing and literature, or the easy shock value of true stories of debauchery.
All That Is Sacred is soulful and hopeful
It’s ultimately a film about friendship and self-preservation. One’s health is needed to endure.
All That Is Sacred manages to tell a soulful story, whether you’ve never fished a day in your life, or never been to Key West.
Thanks for listening to my review. The documentary is available on YouTube, presented by Yeti:
