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people & arts Thursday 18 January 2018
Review: Doc looks back wistfully look at Obama-era diplomacy

By JOCELYN NOVECK bility with his wife. Obama
AP National Writer explains that you need to
Greg Barker had assem- alternate whose career
bled nearly all his foot- gets priority; Michelle will
age for “The Final Year,” a soon “get to do whatever
behind-the-scenes look at she wants.” When? “Right
President Barack Obama’s when all this is over.” We
globe-trotting foreign poli- watch Kerry as he returns to
cy team, when something Vietnam in May 2016, work-
unexpected happened — ing on normalizing relations
so unexpected that it left more than four decades
its main characters literally after he fought there and
speechless. Donald Trump later became a fierce critic
was elected president. of the war. (Barker includes
The development not only footage of a 20-something
shocked those onscreen, Kerry testifying to a Senate
but changed the trajectory panel.) As for Rhodes, we
of the film rather dramati- watch him sitting alone in
cally (not to mention the Hanoi with his laptop, strug-
country and the world, but gling with an early draft of
we’re talking about the film the momentous speech
here.) Suddenly, a docu- Obama will deliver in Hiro-
mentary that would have This image released by Magnolia Pictures shows a scene from the documentary “The Final Year,” shima a few days later, the
been interesting mainly to about President Barack Obama’s final year in office. first U.S. president to do so.
diplomacy wonks and for- Associated Press Others have spoken elo-
eign news junkies became Nations Samantha Power, emptying in 2016. The oth- we’re getting behind the quently about Hiroshima,
one that will, to many Trump acknowledged at a recent ers are Secretary of State scenes, it doesn’t contain Rhodes notes, but this will
opponents — the film’s like- screening. (She added that John Kerry and longtime a whole lot of revealing be the leader of the coun-
ly audience — be both a she’d trade that in an in- Obama aide Ben Rhodes, moments, and the subjects try that dropped the bomb.
painful trip down memory stant for a different elec- the deputy national se- are portrayed in a flattering It is Rhodes who also most
lane and a frightening re- tion result.) curity adviser for strategic light. Despite being near obviously displays the mis-
minder of how tenuous Power, a former journal- communications. Obama the action, we don’t feel placed confidence Demo-
diplomatic deals can be, ist, was one of three main himself speaks occasionally particularly close to it. crats had in the inevitabil-
once the regime changes diplomats that Barker fol- to the cameras, as does Still, we get to see the ity of a Hillary Clinton presi-
at home. As a record of ini- lowed around the world as National Security Adviser wheels turning, and it’s hard dency. Asked in Laos by
tiatives that were more or they sought to solidify the Susan Rice. not to get wrapped up in a concerned bystander if
less stopped in their tracks, administration’s legacy — Is “The Final Year” a fly- some of the backstage Clinton will defeat Trump,
it may have become much on issues such as the Iran on-the-wall documentary moments. Some are amus- who has just been nomi-
more of a high-profile film nuclear deal, relations with along the lines of “The War ing, as when a young wom- nated by the Republicans,
— a reality that one of its Cuba, the situation in Syria, Room” or the terrific, gasp- an asks Obama, on the Rhodes shakes his head in
main subjects, former U.S. climate change and more inducing “Weiner”? Nope. sidelines of an event, how the affirmative. “I’m sure,”
ambassador to the United — as the hourglass was Despite the feeling that he shares family responsi- he repeats.q

Group pushes lawsuit saying book infringes on artist’s work

James Castle Collection book as a “fictional biog- pany doesn’t comment on
and Archive said in docu- raphy,” said it is not likely pending litigation.
ments filed Tuesday in fed- to infringe on Castle’s work The 80-year-old Say, who
eral court that Allen Say’s because it falls within fair lives in Portland, Oregon,
book “Silent Days, Silent legal use for purposes such won the Caldecott Medal
Dreams” steals images cre- as teaching or scholarship. in 1994 for what judges said
ated by Castle, who died Say and publisher Scholas- was the best American pic-
in 1977, and that its lawsuit tic Inc. asked last month ture book for children.
should be allowed to move that the lawsuit be dis- His book is written from the
forward. missed. perspective of Castle’s fic-
About 28 of the 150 illustra- The James Castle Collec- tional nephew.
tions in the children’s book, tion and Archive respond- In the author’s note, Say
described in the opening ed Tuesday that the book said he used soot and spit
pages as a work of fiction does not fall within fair legal and other at-hand materi-
about Castle, are Say’s use because it doesn’t add als available to Castle to
copies of the artist’s work. something new or transfor- “emulate his unschooled
The lawsuit filed in Octo- mative to Castle’s work. style.”
In this Oct. 31, 2017, file photo, copies of Allen Say’s “Silent Days, ber seeks up to $150,000 for “Say’s use of Castle’s work Bruce DeLaney, co-owner
Silent Dreams” sit on a bookshelf at a store in Boise, Idaho. each allegation of copy- gives the original no new of Rediscovered Books in
Associated Press right infringement. expression, no new mean- Boise, said Say’s title has
By KEITH RIDLER in museums around the A federal judge that month ing and no new message,” been a steady seller but
Associated Press world is fighting an attempt denied the group’s request the group says, noting that not a best-seller despite be-
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A to dismiss its copyright in- to temporarily halt book the book is for commercial ing about a local artist.
group that preserves and fringement lawsuit against sales until the lawsuit plays gain. He said that might be be-
promotes the work of a an Oregon children’s book out. Scholastic Inc. spokeswom- cause the James Castle
deaf, self-taught Idaho art- author. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn an Anne Sparkman said Collection doesn’t back
ist whose creations appear The Boise, Idaho-based Winmill, who described the Wednesday that the com- the book. q