Barang Films will be starting off 2011 on Cambodian soil, as a deal is now in place for the Portland-based production company to produce video and photographic content for the brand new Bronze Lake Resort.
Copyright Bronze Lake®, 2010
The company, who specializes in producing film and video content with documentary storytelling elements, will be responsible for creating a 30 second television ad, a short making-of-documentary for the web site and all photography for their print ad campaign.
Owner and Director, Chris Parkhurst is no stranger to the country, having traveled and worked on multiple projects there since 2006.
“I’m always looking forward to getting back there [Cambodia]. In many ways, it’s become a home away from home for me over the years. And I believe in the Bronze Lake story and look forward to weaving it into both the tv ad and web piece.”
Copyright Bronze Lake®, 2010
Bronze Lake Resort is located in Kampong Thom province, half-way between the capitol city of Phnom Penh and popular tourist destination Siem Reap, home of the prestigious Angkor Wat temples.
We at Barang Films recently had a screening of the 2009 documentary, Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi, a feature-length documentary that follows the relationship between Afghan interpreter, Ajmal Naqshbandi and his client, American journalist Christian Parenti.
I had been aware of Director Ian Olds’ work since @ 2005, when he released his feature-length documentary, Occupation: Dreamland, a film which really put Olds on the proverbial doc map, but I’d yet to see Fixer until the other night.
I was naturally drawn to the subject matter for a number of reasons. I’m always a fan of films that delve into the work, both actual and subconscious, of war journalists. Some of my biggest influences have been fictional characters and real people who photograph and otherwise document the complexities of war. Henri-Cartier Bresson, Edward R. Murrow, Neil Davis, James Nachtwey, and Christopher Koch’s war photog, Mike Langford, to name a handful.
But behind all of these men and their work was someone, who until now, always seemed to remain unheralded and under appreciated. But without these persons- known affectionately as fixers, for their abilities to set up clandestine meetings with hard-to-reach subjects in hard-to-reach locales- much of the important work never would have happened.
I’ve managed to work with a few of the finest fixers in the biz, in places like Cambodia (bong, Phon Kaseka!) and Nepal (ramro dai, Thapa Raj Kumar!). I will forever be indebted not only to their undying and uncanny dedication to their work, but for their constant companionship, sometimes in times of extreme duress (and oftimes, to the detriment of their own family). One can never underestimate the power of a smiling face or words of reassurance during those tense moments when it becomes abundantly clear that you are far less important than you could have possibly imagined, and far more alone than you could have ever hoped and/or that your only chance for a story (not to mention survival) depended upon this one person; this one person who would never receive the due recognition that they so rightfully deserved.
Until now. Until The Fixer.
It is The Nation reporter, American Christian Parenti and Afghan fixer, Ajmal Naqshbandi who are at the center of this film. Some might remember of a couple of years ago when an Italian reporter and Afghan fixer were abducted by members of the Taliban. An intense number of days ensued, whereby the Italian government pressured the Afghans to make an exchange with the Taliban group, for the release of the reporter and fixer. The reporter and fixer were freed, and the country of Italy rejoiced. Unfortunately, and totally unpublicized was the fact that the Afghan fixer (Naqshbandi) was again abducted within hours and once again held for ransom. Without any more international pressure, and amidst huge controversy within the country, the Afghan government decided not to deal with the Talibans a second time around. Naqshbandi would pay the ultimate price.
The American, Parenti decides to return to Kabul, to talk to Naqshbandi’s family and friends, to discover how, why and what became of his dear friend.
I found myself deeply affected by this film. Not only because of the specific subject matter – subject matter, that is quite relateable to the Barang Films family – but because of the great care and beauty which was given to this documentary, by filmmaker Olds. I was so impressed by much in this exploration, but there was one particular scene in this film, and the fact that Olds chose to include it, that really put this film at the top of the list for me.
Throughout the whole of this film, Olds builds up the incredible relationship that blossoms between Parenti and Naqshbandi. Much of this story appears to be culled from almost-throwaway video footage, where the two of them are just having conversations, sometimes extremely political, other times quite personal. The camera work is borderline shoddy, even, but these conversations that take place in vehicles in between locations, really are at the heart of this film. It is during these moments that the viewer experiences the power of friendship and connection that happens between two people from seemingly opposite ends of the planet and life spectrum.
Olds could have left it at that. He could have let this be the tale of an incredibly deeply personal, even heartwarming friendship- a friendship that would end in nightmarish, heartwrenching devastation. Instead, as only the most respected in the film medium can sometimes dare to do, he chooses truth and complexity over simplicity and good feeling.
Through the course of one of these excursions en route to a remote locale, Naqshbandi has an incredible conversation (all in Afghan) to the driver of the vehicle. In subtitles we discover that Naqshbandi is basically telling the driver that he despises all journalists, as they’re only in his country for exploitative purposes, and that because of this he chooses to basically exploit them. He even implies that he is only a “friend” to the American because he pays him, and that he hates all those from England, American, Europe alike.
It’s an incredibly jarring moment to be witness to that. It at least certainly makes one think twice about the reliability of Naqshbandi. It also makes us wonder about what is real and what isn’t. Is there a friendship at all? Or just an impersonal business transaction? Or maybe it’s somewhere in between; quagmired and deeply embedded in some sort of cynicism that can only be brought about by something like hundreds of years of war. In the end, Olds leaves it up to the viewer to decide. It’s a wonderfully appropriate portrayal and a wonderfully complex choice for a filmmaker to make.
I say kudos to Ian Olds. And I say kudos to all of the fixers around the globe.
Well, after nearly five months of meetings with a business coach, a branding expert and logo/website designer, the new Barang Films website is set to launch on September 28, 2010. A lot of work, thought, consternation, perspiration, whatever-else-ation has gone into this and I’m incredibly excited to share Barang Films with the world.
Until then, we’re revealing a couple of teasers: the brand new Barang Films logo and a taste of the new website. We’re also giving you a rare glimpse into some of the process work that went into it. Special thanks goes to logo and site designer, Jesus Cameron of Goodeye (but more on the genius that is Cameron to come). Enjoy and we’ll see you next Tuesday!
Note: We are working out some development bugs, but should have the site up by October 15th!
Over the years, as I’ve followed my dreams and passions of documentary storytelling – often times into some of the more tragic parts of the globe – I’ve resorted to channeling my inner James Nachtwey for inspiration and insight. Undoubtedly, many of you are quite familiar with who Nachtwey is. For those of you who are not familiar with the name, I would argue that there’s a 99.9 % chance that you are familiar with his work.
Since the Vietnam War, Nachtwey’s images of been seen worldwide by Life Magazine, Magnum and CNN (to name a tiny few). He has covered some of the most known of world events in the past 40 years including Bosnia, Rwanda, Darfur, Indonesia, Cambodia and Nepal (to name a few). Christian Frei‘s extremely powerful ‘The War Photographer‘ was a well-known documentary film that was a first-hand account of past and present work, by the man himself.
To say that he has been a Hero and an Inspiration to all cultural, war journalist and humanitarian photographers and filmmakers, would be a vast understatement (bordering on cliche, even!).
I recently viewed his acceptance of the 2007 TED Award (Technology Entertainment Design) and wanted to share it with you:
What do you think of his work? What about the idea of a documentary photographer? Are what they (we’re) doing actually making a difference?
I believe that it’s a higher calling and one that is absolutely essential to give witness, give record to world events… so that all may learn from past mistakes and apply to future endeavours.
We hope that you enjoyed the first Relief International video (that we posted last week). This is the third and final (and dare we say ‘favorite’?) of the RI videos that Barang Films produced. I think it not only captures the brilliant work and building of sustainable lives that RI is helping to foster in Haiti, but it also captures the undying spirit and positivity of the Haitian people.
Again, Barang Films would like to thank the many good souls of Relief International (Emily, Farshad, Joseph, Richard, Sony, Seth, Nikki, Emily, Daniel, Jace, etc) for the wonderful opportunity that was this project in Haiti. And we would also like to express gratitude for the generosity of the citizens of Haiti… the perspective that you have given us shall be felt deeply for a long time. And lessons that you have taught us… hopefully for a lifetime.
Three weeks ago Barang Films went to Haiti to produce some videos for Relief International. It turned out to be another brand new experience in another new country that I’ll not soon forget. And while I was only there for what amounted to be an 8-day shoot, what I saw and felt is everything that makes me love and appreciate doing this work.
People have asked me ‘How was Haiti?’ How to answer such a question? For any sort of answer that would come from my mouth would risk sounding trite. Sure, Port-au-Prince has been thoroughly devastated by January’s earthquake. Sure, Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. And these are all things that I saw and felt and experienced on a moment-to-moment basis. But as seems to be customary in developing countries like Nepal, Cambodia, and Haiti, it’s the people that leave an everlasting impression and really shape my work and my opinion of the place. And really what struck me during my short time in the Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, was that while everywhere there was rubble and there were few standing structures to speak of and there were make-shift shacks that lined the garbage-strewn streets… one thing that shone above all of this was the light that seemed to beam from their smiling faces. Like the Cambodians so many miles away, who experienced a genocide that nearly wiped out its population, the Haitians amidst intense and immense destruction have somehow, miraculously found a way to live on. To have hope. To keep smiling.
Sure, there are incredibly dangerous places in the city. Kidnappings and thievery and prostitution are sadly not terribly uncommon occurrences. Water is disease-infested. People are living in tattered tents that were meant to be temporary, emergency housing, but are now becoming more permanent and slum-like.
But still there is hope. Still they keep smiling.
And its NGOs like the one that hired me to produce videos for them that are embedded in the country and helping make a difference. Relief International was one of the first to arrive during that critical emergency phase. And they have been there since, working directly with communities like La Plaine, Port au Prince, Carrefour and others, instituting programs like the Water and Sanitation Program, the Mobile Clinics and the Shelter Programs. They are working directly with and educating the Haitians to help produce sustainable results that will hopefully have lasting, positive effects on communities for years to come.
I do not say these things because I was contracted to produce videos and photography. I say this because I witnessed the brilliant work firsthand. And most importantly, I saw the gratitude and understanding on the local population’s faces. Believe me, I have done enough work in enough countries and been exposed to enough NGOs and humanitarian organizations that I feel like I have at least some sense of what is going to be truly beneficial and sustaining in a developing country. And for my money, RI is doing just that kind of work.
But don’t just take my word for it. Check out this latest video of one of the program’s that they have instituted throughout Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas:
In the next week or two, I will post more of the videos and photographs that happened while in Haiti. Until then, I say Merci bien! to Relief International and to the lovely people of Haiti who have given me the opportunity and experience of a lifetime. I will not soon forget my short time there and eagerly look to the future when I can once again set foot on this Caribbean island.
