Naked Gardens 2002 Review
Reader Rating0 Votes 4.9 Synopsis With a cheekily contemplative tone and an empathetic lens, Naked Gardens takes us inside an isolated nudist community in Florida, where residents find a place to feel accepted, deal with their past traumas and jointly pursue forming a utopia-like society. Naked Gardens immerses audiences in the complex, unseen world of...
Synopsis
ith a cheekily contemplative tone and an empathetic lens, Naked Gardens takes us inside an isolated nudist community in Florida, where residents find a place to feel accepted, deal with their past traumas and jointly pursue forming a utopia-like society. Naked Gardens immerses audiences in the complex, unseen world of a family nudist resort. The film follows the individuals drawn to an unusual community, which promises both non-conformist values and, important for some, a cheap place to live. As owner Morley and his residents prepare for the largest gathering of nudists in the US, they are faced with challenges, as a community and as individuals.
Summary
Features life at the naturist community Sunsport Gardens Family Naturist Resort in Florida, United States. With a 91 minute running time this documentary films is so engaging it feels like it ends much too soon. Naturist issues like child safety in a family naturist environment, whether residents should be required to be clothes free, and succession planning are all captured on film in this extraordinary documentary that was screened at the Tribeca Festival. The most significant thing observed in the film is not the nudity which feels matter of fact. Rather The care and compassion the people show for one another illustrates one of the most important naturist ideals and values. Caring for others. Diversity is evidenced in a variety of ways not just race, but also age and body size, perspective and clothing choices.
Naturist Interest
The film features the late Morley Schloss who is the only credited cast member. Schloss expresses so much of the naturist ideals and values, it literally jumps off the screen and into your viewing area. In addition to the everyday life of the residents, the documentary covers the preparations leading up to the Sunsport Mid Winter Festival. Naturists of all kinds young and old are observed living an authentic naturist life. The way of life depicted contrasts the conventional online wisdom that being naked solves all of life’s problems, and naturists never wear clothing. Schloss is seen throughout the film engaging people, giving guidance, planning and implementing programs, leading meetings and caring for the residents of Sunsports.
Acting
Naked Gardens gives the viewer a glimpse inside a naturist community. We get to see the members of the community interacting in everyday life. We also get to see the organizational dynamics of the community. What makes this special is the natural ways the participant share their experience. It is captured perfectly by the camera crew. There isn’t a sense of watching anything pretentious, or put on, no one comes off as acting. The film just captures people, naturist people, being in community together. They celebrate each other’s lives, share holidays, discuss life’s challenges and work together to build and sustain community.
Production
The production on this film is excellent. The cinematography is top notch featuring vibrant colors and makes good use of natural lighting and inconspicuous camera angles. The director and crew capture the natural interaction between the residents of the community in an unobtrusive way. The viewer feels like just another member of the community. Director Ivete Lucas, director of photography Patrick Bresnan and crew should be credited for doing a great job capturing the community so naturally. The inclusion of closed captioning is a definite plus..
Conclusion
Watching this film made me want to pack up my stuff and move Sunsport to live there. Everything about the community in the film aligned with my view of naturism and resonated with me personally. The people, the values, the ethic, the vibe all represent a modern expression of classic authentic naturism. From the drum circles that Sunsport is famous for, to the labyrinth set up for the festival, I wanted to be a part of it all. I hope Morley’s vision will live on through his successors. I whole heartedly recommend this for viewing by all kinds of groups naturists and non naturists and families exploring the naturist way of life.
Where to watch
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