Reshad Kulenovic

Reshad Kulenovic was one of the most interesting people I have listened to talk. Even excluding his ridiculous life experiences to this point, it's worth listening to him just because he seems so precise in his word choice and as a result sounds so knowledgable when he speaks. Reshad has his masters degree from Boston University and is a part-time professor at the University of Rhode Island, but his true identity is that of a film maker. He won a student Academy Award in 2010 for his debut/thesis film, Snovi, and it seems to have been all up hill for him from there.
Reshad's time with our Documentary Film class consisted of a nice mixture of tips and anecdotes from his experience as a film maker, geographical and political analysis (particularly of Jerusalem and Israel), and clips from his new film, "100 Million Dollar House". Although I don't see myself becoming a film maker, I was extremely interested to hear about Reshad's various experiences. I really liked hearing about his various meetings to secure funding. He spoke like a veteran of the process even though he has only done it a few times himself.
It was also really interesting to hear Reshad discuss his time in Hebron, filming "100 Million Dollar House", so casually. As he repeatedly said, Hebron is an active conflict zone, and himself and his crew frequently found themselves staring down the barrel of a loaded assault weapon. However, Reshad never spoke about this, or his arrest, in a showy way but rather just a recount of his experiences.
Another thing that was maybe the most interesting to me was Reshad's discussion of the ethics and trials of making a Documentary film. It made me realize how extremely fine of a line you have to walk to portray your characters ethically, while also following the story accurately, AND producing a sense of drama and story to keep the audience engaged. It made me respect what Reshad has done even more. Even in the brief clips of his new film that we saw, I could tell the high level of attention that Reshad leant to each one of these factors (ethics, accuracy, and drama). If anything, drama seemed to be the least important thing to Reshad, and in a Documentary film that is not a bad thing.

Response to Jesus Camp

Jesus Camp probably ended up being much scarier than any other movie that has come out in the last decade. Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing provide a relatively objective look at a Christian summer camp and the evangelical Christian community in North Dakota. The film bounces back and forth between a rational Christian radio broadcaster, who provides a counter argument throughout the film, and the kids and counselors of the "Kids on Fire School of Ministry" camp. The most alarming part of the film is how it reveals what a huge influence a group of people, no matter how crazy their ideology, can have over government and policy. The film in particular illuminates the evangelical Christian community's support for particular candidates in all political offices, all the way up to the supreme court, and their influence on policy. They are among the most vocal skeptics of global warming, and personally I find that pretty horrifying.
Equally horrifying is the way that the counselors and leaders of the community are essentially brainwashing the children. They are intentionally raising them to act, think, and feel exactly the same way as they do. They are basically ensuring that the next generation will carry on acting the same way as they do. Additionally, through methods such as home schooling, they are ensuring that the children are never exposed to any other conflicting views. With these kids growing up learning nothing but what they are being taught by their parents and counselors, the cycle is bound to continue.

Response to Jesus Camp

This film is insane but very well done. I knew that evangelicals existed in this country but I did not know that there we camps where they brain washed generations of kids to have what I consider to be a very backwards way of thinking. It is startlingly similar to that of the Hitler Youth Camps.  It is actually quite frightening that there is such a radical group like this that believe that the common science is a lie and that worship George W Bush. Now also this is nothing new as their extreme factions in all parts of society but they are always the minority that do not represent all the people in that faction of society.

Response to Jesus Camp

The film Jesus camp honestly scares me. These kind of people in this world are the reason I believe things don’t always progress as planned. I understand what it’s like to believe in a religion being a Christian myself. However believing in a religion to this degree where you legitimately don’t believe scientific fact makes no sense to me. This film to me is almost comical. I look at it and think this isn’t real there’s no way. At the same time though it is very much almost disgusting. It makes children the most moldable minds in human existence and it manipulates them to “connect with God” by means of speaking tongues and even convulsing on the floor while feeling “the holy spirit”. Now I’ve gone to church and am a confirmed Christian and from what I know about my faith if you want to say anything to God it’s as easy as praying.