The “James Bond of journalism” is profiled in Chameleon. Anas Aremeyaw Anas is an investigative journalist in Ghana, who lives by the three basis principles of naming, shaming and jailing. Very few people have seen Anas’ face and he uses his extreme undercover methods to help bring down criminals across the country. Chameleon is a documentary about a journalist who is so secretive that his face isn’t even seen on screen. To maintain the veil of secrecy surrounding Anas Aremeyaw Anas, he is often shot from behind or through extreme close-ups. When he is seen from the front, there is often something obscuring his face, such as a handkerchief or a bunch of string. Anas’ is a modern day master of disguise and Chameleon features a montage of his various outfits, which go from dressing in drag to dressing as a rock. Anas works with authorities to track down criminals, which often puts his life in danger. Chameleon is somewhat structured as if it was an espionage thriller and it follows Anas on various cases, including taking down a doctor that rapes abortion patients, as well as performing a raid of a human trafficking operation. Anas’ methods are quite unconventional for a journalist, even though he is an example of people in Ghana getting to tell their own stories. While it is a bit hard to relate to a main subject whose face you don’t see, Chameleon is an interesting profile of this true life superspy. ★ ★ ★ 1/2 | FAIR Screenings:
- Sat, Apr 25, 5:30 PM – The Royal Cinema
- Sun, Apr 26, 4:30 PM – Scotiabank Theatre 3