Three films from Israel, Denmark, and Russia, all attempt to tell the story of ongoing conflicts. Can you write a first draft of history in a war zone? Can you tell a better story when you have a personal stake in the battle? How DO you tell the bigger story and how does the perspective change over time? From Afghanistan, to Syria to the Ukraine we have three examples. In No Free Steps to Heaven, an Israeli journalist confronts ISIS captives who want him dead. Airport Donetsk deconstructs a bloody battle between Ukrainian forces and separatist forces using extensive footage shot by the participants. Jimmy’s War is one Danish veteran of the Afghan War who attempts to figure out if all the killing he did was worth it. Each film uses emotional subjectivity as a primary storytelling device. Do programs like this enlighten or obfuscate? Will they change minds or reinforce pre-existing opinions? Or do they serve propaganda purposes?
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From UPF
The Donetsk Airport - was rebuilt in 2012, but is now a scene of utter devastation, shortly after Russian-backed separatists have taken it over. Weaving together the… -
From UPF
In 2006 Jimmy Solgaard was a 25-year old soldier who decided to go to Afghanistan. Everything made sense when he was down there, and he trusted that both the politicians… -
From UPF
Israeli filmmaker Itai Anghel went inside Syria and Iraq in January 2015 to document the fight against ISIS. He interviews imprisoned ISIS fighters who tell him what led…