It's been a while since my last post. I guess it's been a struggle to find inspiration to write until this point. I have realized, however, that putting oneself in uncomfortable and unusual situations breed a distinct need to express the emotions that follow such predicaments.
In the last two months I have been documenting the struggle and perseverance of people. Particularly two women who, with their groundbreaking radio program, voice the problems facing the people of an impoverish area in Jordan (a country in the Middle East, for any of you wondering). In following these women and meeting the people who they represent, I am overcome with a variety of emotions, but all driven by one question:why? Why is it that these people (along with millions of others all over the world) have to live in a constant state of struggle? Why is it that these "minorities," or majorities in actuality, are, and forgive the blatant metaphor, screaming for help with no one to answer their cries? How do we live our lives on a daily basis and push aside these blatant facts? Not to say that my endeavors here are strictly altruistic--quite the opposite. I came here to make a film about two women and their story in hopes of achieving some level of personal success. But you can never plan for anything and, as it goes, the film has turned into a socio-political saga of these two women and what they are doing to help people in need. As a result, the film has become a vessel to expose and educated the world on the problems facing these people and the countless others who are facing similar problems.
Is it simply a western-centric mentality to "go to the 3rd world and help the people!"? Are we really helping anyone? Will this film make any difference? I can only hope that I will shed some needed light on the pain and suffering of these people...people who have grabbed my hand, looking into my eyes and pleading for us, America, to help them. How do you not feel like you're exploiting people who are living under such depressing circumstances by capturing their situation on film? It's ironic, really, when children want so desperately to be in a photograph and line themselves up in front of a backdrop that so precisely shows the state of their lives. There are clear moral and ethical dilemmas here but, I hope, these dilemmas will be remedied by good intentions--by shifting the focus of this film from us, the filmmakers, to them, the people.
