Crayons and Paper on GRITtv

Tonight, Crayons and Paper was featured on Laura Flanders' show, GRITtv.  Check out the segment below:

"Crayons and Paper"--New Film!

We have a new film in production!  It is called Crayons and Paper and it documents the effects of war on children in Sri Lanka and Darfur.  The film runs 30 minutes and is told through the eyes of Dr. Jerry Ehrlich, who has traveled to numerous conflict zones to administer to the children there.  He also had the children draw pictures.  These images are the focus of the film.

Recently, the Courier Post in south new Jersey did an article about Jerry Ehrlich.  That article is below:

Cherry Hill doctor takes 'action'

By KEVIN CALLAHAN
Courier-Post Staff

Bruce David Janu came all the way from Chicago to Cherry Hill to see Dr. Jerry Ehrlich.

"When I first walked out of his office, I felt better," Janu said. "Something rubbed off on me."

Janu didn't come across the country to visit Ehrlich about a physical ailment. Janu, a filmmaker and teacher, wanted to hear Ehrlich's inspiring story.

Ehrlich, 73, is a pediatrician with a practice in Cherry Hill. He also is a volunteer for Doctors Without Borders. He has been to many of the world's hot spots of hatred, including Sri Lanka and Darfur.

While on these missions, Ehrlich took paper and crayons to have children document what they have seen and experienced.

Janu made a 90-minute documentary, "Facing Sudan," that featured many of the drawings Ehrlich brought back with him from Sudan. Janu first saw the drawings in 2005 at Ehrlich's office.

"It was really inspiring," Janu said about his first three-hour meeting with Ehrlich in Cherry Hill. "Not only does he have a lot of compassion, he has a lot of energy."

Ehrlich, who has been practicing since 1966 in Cherry Hill, has been on three missions to Sri Lanka and one mission to Darfur for two months over the summer of 2004.

The United Nations estimates more than 300,000 people have died in Darfur through genocide, the crime of destroying a group of people because of their ethnic, national, racial or religious background.

On his trip to Sudan, Ehrlich took 25 boxes of crayons and 400 pieces of drawing paper. He smuggled out more than 150 drawings done by children ages 8 to 11.

He risked imprisonment if caught leaving Darfur with the drawings. He also took photos he uses for slide shows.

Now, Janu is making a documentary featuring Ehrlich called "Crayons and Paper."

"The new film begins with his first of three missions to Sri Lanka," Janu said. "He went to help kids."

Ehrlich brought back drawings from his initial trip to Sri Lanka.

"It is completely about Dr. Jerry and the children's drawings," Janu said.

Janu said the 30-minute film will be completed in July. He will then submit the film to festivals in the short documentary category.

"The first film was to raise awareness," Janu said about "Facing Sudan," which won two awards in 2007 at film festivals. "The next film was to talk about Dr. Jerry and hopefully inspire other people."

Ehrlich has received requests by the Sudan government not to show these pictures of malnourished and sick children he snapped when he was a volunteer with Doctors Without Borders working with refugees from the Darfur region in western Sudan.

However, he shows the pictures to raise awareness of the continuing genocide in Darfur.

"You don't walk away from Darfur and forget about it," Ehrlich said. "I'm speaking for those who can't speak for themselves, the people of Darfur."

Recently, he took his sad slide show to Haddonfield High School, where German teacher Christopher Gwin organized the Spring Student Summit, titled "Getting Comfy with Genocide: What in the World is Going On?"

Ehrlich received the first of what is intended to be the annual Haddonfield Memorial High School S.T.A.N.D. Humanitarian Award. The award from the high school's Students Take Action Now for Darfur group honors a South Jersey community member of significant distinction who has demonstrated sincere and inspiring commitment to saving Darfurians.

"I sometimes talk to three high schools a week," Ehrlich said.

In July, Ehrlich will take the voices of Darfur to Israel. He will show his slide presentation at the Holocaust Center in Jerusalem on July 8.

Before then, however, Ehrlich will take his video and notebooks to do a documentary on a thousand Darfur refugees now living in Israel.

"It will be a very interesting trip," Ehrlich said. "A thousand Darfur refugees escaped the Sudan through Egypt and marched into Israel. They were originally detained prisoners, but an Israel human rights group got them out and now they are integrated with the Israel society. They are called B'nei Darfur, the Sons of Darfur."

Ehrlich will attempt to document their experiences. He might just learn more, like Janu did.

Janu, who teaches history, sociology and literature at John Hersey High School in Chicago's northwest suburbs, didn't intend to make a full-length feature film about the atrocities in Sudan that led him to meeting Ehrlich. Janu wanted to make a short, educational film in which Brian Burns, a janitor at the school where Janu teaches, discussed his work in Sudan.

Quickly, though, Janu realized the stories about genocide told by Burns were much bigger than he thought.

Burns' aid work in Africa inspired Janu to film a full-length documentary about him and other "ordinary people" who have taken it upon themselves to help Sudanese refugees.

That is when Janu, whose filmmaking was limited to educational films, met Ehrlich.

"A lot of people have compassion, but these people took compassion to the next level to do something," Janu said.

"Facing Sudan" is about activism. The film shows the passion that has spurred ordinary people to dedicate their lives to a country imploded by war and genocide.

Over the last 20 years, millions have died in Sudan. A civil war devastated the South and a genocide is occurring in Darfur.

Ehrlich has been making presentations to schools ever since he smuggled the photos and drawings out of Darfur. Interestingly, he doesn't know where the original drawings are.

"They have a life of their own," he said with a smile. "They keep traveling."

Ehrlich said he last heard the original drawings, which were framed by art students at Temple University, were in Canada at museums.

"I could have never imagined the exposure they have gotten," he said. "I never really looked at them until I got back home. I felt they had to get exposure, but I never could have imagined this much exposure."

Soon the drawings and Ehrlich will get more exposure. More importantly for Ehrlich, the voices of the children of Darfur will be heard.

Reach Kevin Callahan at (856) 317-7821 or kcallahan@courierpostonline.com.

New review in School Library Journal

Here is the new review of Facing Sudan that appeared in School Library Journal:

Facing Sudan. DVD. 90 min. with tchr’s. guide. Bell, Book & Camera Prods. 2007, 2008 release. $24.95.

Gr 9 Up–Twenty years of bloody internal fighting in Sudan have left millions dead and displaced. Even though high profile celebrities continue to bring the mayhem to the forefront, most of the world’s governments have been unwilling or impotent to intervene in the genocide. This low-key but overwhelmingly powerful documentary shows how individuals can affect the ongoing situation. Interviews with those involved as well as the victims of the violence are supplemented by a powerful collection of video footage, including actual Sudanese military attacks on the populace. Resulting from a seemingly incidental conversation between a young custodian in a suburban Chicago high school and Bruce David Janu, a social science teacher, this timely and touching program provides both a historical context as well as a striking contemporary description of the political, social, medical, and military mayhem in Africa’s darkest corner. One segment on the Lost Boys of Sudan will particularly hit home with younger viewers; be cautioned that there are several instances of graphic images of death and explicit descriptions of events. The film was produced and directed by a teacher who crafted it to be as classroom-friendly as possible with scene selection, English subtitles, several bonus tracks, useful lesson plan suggestions, and a moving soundtrack of original compositions which greatly enhances the spirit of the program. This excellent, award-winning film will definitely have a deep impact on viewers.

Dwain Thomas, formerly Lake Park High School, Roselle, IL -- School Library Journal, 6/5/2008

Facing Sudan Review in Booklist

The following review appears in the May 1 edition of Booklist:

Facing Sudan.
Jan. 2008. 90min. Bell, Book & Camera, DVD, $24.95.
REVIEW. First published May 1, 2008 (Booklist).

Featuring graphic photographs, home-movie footage, and heartbreaking testimonies, this film is “told through the eyes of ordinary people” who are helping the Sudanese, many of whom are dying of starvation and disease. The camera captures images of these valiant heroes, including a college student who travels to Africa to photograph the Sudanese and stays to pass out medicines and offer comfort to malnourished refugees. A Chicago woman opens her home and heart to “lost boys” who seek a better life in America; a New Jersey doctor leaves his thriving practice to give aid to needy Africans; a high-school girl sends disposable cameras to children in refugee camps who take pictures of family and friends victimized by the ethnic struggle; and a young man returns to his native country to help drill wells that provide clean water for thousands. This moving, eye-opening documentary is a call to action.

— Candace Smith

Meeting Tom and Lorne (Finally)

A couple of weeks ago, I finally had the opportunity to meet the songerwriters for Facing Sudan, Tom Flannery and Lorne Clarke. After three years of emails and phone calls here and there, it was great finally meeting them face-to-face.

Tom was performing at the Old Lynn Concert series, which is run by Lorne Clarke. His set included "Crayons and Paper," a song from the film.

I met Tom and Lorne online three years ago while searching for music for the movie. Originally, I had envisioned Bruce Cockburn's "If I Had a Rocket Launcher" as the opening song of the film. However, Cockburn's record label never returned my calls.

And that was a very good thing.   I ended up stumbling across a site online called Songaweek.com. This site featured music by Tom Flannery and Lorne Clarke, including several songs about Darfur and a whole song cycle about the Rwandan Genocide. In fact, Lorne's song, "How Do We Sleep at Night?" from the series on Rwanda became the opening song of Facing Sudan. This song is so much better than the Bruce Cockburn song, for it captures the mood and the feel of the film more than any other song and it introduces a powerful theme that runs throughout the film.

After contacting Tom Flannery for permission to use a song called "It's Called Genocide," Tom replied that I could use the song for free. All that I needed was to properly credit him for the song. He then went on to say that this would be a "a gentleman's agreement." But if I were to appear at the "Oscars with Demi Moore" on my arm or on Larry King with a "new Armani suit," we would have to renegotiate the deal. Needless to say, that never happened. Tom's email did, however, lead to a complete re-envisioning of the film as I soon began to discover more about how music could enhance the film I was trying to make. And in the process, I also discovered two kindred spirits several hundred miles away.

Tom then pointed me to several other songs that could be of use, including some from Lorne Clarke. I soon heard from Lorne, too, who was also enthusiastic about the project. Together, they both offered their services to write more songs as needed.

As the film was coming together, I realized that Tom and Lorne could provide musical continuity to the film. I purposely pulled the planned narration from the film and decided that these two singer/songwriters could provide the needed social commentary through their music. Tom and Lorne's soundtrack holds the film together, linking the images to the emotion. The music thus becomes the conscience of the film.

I could not have made the film without them. And Facing Sudan would not be the film it is without their voices.

Tom and Lorne are both very passionate individuals, using music as a way to comment about politics and life. Understanding that I was tackling this project completely on my own, Tom and Lorne offered all of their music for free use, including all of the songs specifically written for the film. Once a rough cut of the film was complete, I sent the film to Tom and Lorne with suggestions as to where I would like additional music. The two got together then on a Sunday afternoon at Tom's house in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and pushed out the music in a few hours.

The two are very prolific. At Songaweek.com the duo posts music (for free download) every week. Over the last four years, they have had over 1 million downloads.

I encourage all of you to go to the site and give their music a listen. They are both extremely talented individuals who deserve to be heard. It was a pleasure to finally meet them. It was a little strange, however. Although we had not previously met in person, I felt like I had known them for a long, long time.

I am so thankful that three years ago I accidentally stumbled across their music. Today, I count Tom and Lorne among my friends and, in fact, I have become one of their biggest fans.

---

To view more images of Tom and Lorne from my visit, please go to the Flickr page.

To get acquainted with the music of Tom Flannery and Lorne Clarke, please visit their website at SongAWeek.com.

Tom has a new album available online. The album is entitled Love in the Present Tense. This is a great album and is available for download for only $6.99. Take a listen here.

In addition, Lorne's new album, Moonlight and Cider is also available. This album features a great new version of Facing Sudan's title theme, "How Do We Sleep at Night?" Take a listen here.

Don't forget, the soundtrack to Facing Sudan is also available. Download it here.

Film Festival Photos

I was able to attend several festivals last year at which Facing Sudan screened. I have finally put up some photographs taken at some of those festivals. Enjoy.

Facing Sudan Flickr Site

Facing Sudan Featured in National Council for the Social Studies Publication

Facing Sudan recently made the front page of The Social Studies Professional. This publication is the official newsletter for the National Council for the Social Studies. I have been a member of NCSS for many years and even presented a few years ago at the annual convention a workshop entitled, "Give Students the Black Death: Using Drama, Poetry and Song in the Classroom." Unfortunately, I recently let my membership lapse---but will soon rejoin! Thanks NCSS for highlighting the film!

A link to the publication can be found here

Want to see a kid with the black death? Click here.

From Sinatra to Sudan---Teacher makes film about war-torn country

Teacher known for Sinatra gets serious for Sudan documentary

Chicago, January 21, 2008(I-Newswire) - Chicago area history teacher Bruce David Janu never intended to make a feature length documentary about the situation in Sudan. Known for his use of Sinatra in the classroom, including the infamous "Frank Sinatra Detention club," Janu stumbled into feature-filmmaking after meeting Brian Burns, a young janitor at his school.

Burns was sweeping floors on the third shift at John Hersey High School in suburban Arlington Heights when the two crossed paths. They struck up a conversation and when Burns began relating his experiences in Sudan, Janu saw an opportunity for his students.

That chance meeting on a Friday afternoon led not to a speaking engagement in front of a class of freshman, but to a feature documentary entitled Facing Sudan. The film highlights the situation in that war-torn country but is uniquely told through the eyes of ordinary individuals who have made a difference there: a suburban housewife, a 73-year-old pediatrician, a grandmother, a high school student, several Sudanese "lost boys" and, of course, Brian Burns.

"Two years ago, if someone said to me that I would be making a documentary about Sudan," says Janu, "I would have told them they were crazy."

It is Janu's students, however, who think that he is the crazy one. In addition to extra credit Sinatra questions on every test, Janu routinely dresses in costume and dances in front of class in an attempt to get the students interested in history. He sings too. One of his raps about absolutism in Europe even made it on You Tube. His students weren't surprised at his turn as a filmmaker. He had already made several educational videos for his classes over the years and many of his students turned out for the Chicago premiere of Facing Sudan at the Illinois International Film Festival last fall, where it won "Best Documentary."

"I put this film together in my spare time down in the basement," Janu says. "I never thought it would get this much attention." In addition to the long hours, he ended up paying for the film using his credit cards.

Although creating the film was arduous and financially challenging, Janu did have some help. His subjects supplied much of the footage from Sudan and he discovered two singer/songwriters from Pennsylvania, Tom Flannery and Lorne Clarke, willing to compose an original soundtrack for the film. Passionate about Sudan, the duo contributed songs completely pro bono, including "Crayons and Paper," a heartbreaking song that accompanies drawings made by children from Darfur smuggled out of Sudan by a pediatrician working with Doctors Without Borders.

Facing Sudan has toured the festival circuit and received much critical acclaim, including two "best documentary" awards.

The film has now been released on DVD by Bell, Book & Camera Productions with several deleted scenes, director commentary and a bonus song by Tom Flannery.

In addition, Janu has provided free lesson plans and discussion questions for Facing Sudan, hoping that it will fulfill his ultimate goals: education and awareness.

"Anyone can make a difference in this world," he says. "Especially if you know what's going on. As more people know about Sudan, the more likely something will be done."



Press kit, artwork and photos from the film are available at the official website at http://www.facingsudan.com/sudan.html

###

Bell, Book & Camera Productions
PO Box 24
Cary, IL 60013

Tel: 847-721-9222
info@bellbookcamera.com

Other film related sites: http://www.myspace.com/facing_sudan

Songwriters' site: http://www.songaweek.com

Tom Flannery's Site: http://www.tomflannery.com

Lorne Clarke's site: http://www.songaweek.com/lorne/

"Reel Chicago" Article about the film:
http://www.reelchicago.com/archive.cfm?storyID=1628

Information about the Frank Sinatra Detention Club and the director:

New York Times article

Entertainment Weekly article

Children's Photographs from Darfur Featured in Award-winning Documentary

Yale student and her photographs from Sudan are featured in award-winning documentary, "Facing Sudan"

(Newswire Today) — Chicago, IL, United States, 2008-01-18 - Alice Baumgartner, a sophomore at Yale University, never expected to be in a film about Sudan. Two years ago, however, she was approached by Chicago filmmaker and teacher Bruce David Janu about including her unique photograph collection in a film he was making about Sudan.

And those photographs, featuring children from a refugee camp in Chad who had fled the violence in Darfur, are featured in the award-winning documentary along with the young activist.

The film, entitled Facing Sudan, documents the situation in that war-torn country through the eyes of ordinary people, like Alice, who have made a difference there. The film won two BEST DOCUMENTARY awards, first at the Landlocked Film Festival and then at the Illinois International Film Festival.

“The pictures Alice has of these children---taken by children---really highlight the human tragedy that is Darfur,” says Janu, who put the film together over the last two years, paying for the film himself and working long hours in his basement. And he knew he needed to include Alice’s story in the narrative.

As a high school student at the Latin School in Chicago, Alice had wanted to document the situation in Darfur but through the eyes of the region’s most vulnerable victims: the children. After approaching student correspondents from MTV, Alice was able to send two dozen disposable cameras to the war-torn area. They were distributed to children living in a refugee camp in Chad and then sent back to Alice.

The images show the cramped, dusty living conditions of everyday life for refugees fleeing the violence of Darfur. Yet they also capture the attempt by the inhabitants to maintain a sense of normality.

And all of the images are touched with an innocence that only a child’s eye can capture.

"The kids in these pictures,” states Alice, “are real people who are really suffering and who need help.”

In addition to interviews of Alice, the film includes a montage of those photographs set to music written and performed by Pennsylvania native Tom Flannery.

Facing Sudan was recently released on DVD and includes bonus footage of Alice discussing her photographs.

# # #

Related Link: http://www.facingsudan.com/sudan.html
Contact name: Bruce David Janu
Related Link: http://www.facingsudan.com/sudan_clips.html
847-462-5941 / info@bellbookcamera.com

MUSICIANS AND FILMMAKER TEAM UP FOR SUDAN DOC

Pennsylvanian musicians Tom Flannery and Lorne Clarke never expected to record a soundtrack for a film. Two years ago, however, they were approached by Chicago filmmaker Bruce David Janu about including a couple of songs on his upcoming Sudan documentary.

Soon they were composing the entire soundtrack.

The film, entitled Facing Sudan, documents the situation in that war-torn country through the eyes of ordinary people who have made a difference there. The film won two BEST DOCUMENTARY awards.

The songwriters are well-known throughout northeastern Pennsylvania and contribute songs on a weekly basis to their website, songaweek.com. Since setting up the site, they have had over 1 million downloads. It is through songaweek.com where Janu first came into contact with their music.

"It blew me away," he stated. Initially, Janu asked to use a couple of songs, but soon realized that the duo could provide the musical voice for the entire film. So Flannery and Clarke started writing songs about "Lost Boys," genocide and Sudan. One of Flannery's songs, "Crayons and Paper," accompany heartbreaking drawings from children in Darfur.

And, because of their passion for the issue, they provided the music pro bono.

Now, to commemorate the dvd release of the film, Flannery has written a new song entitled "I Want To" which can be downloaded for free at http://www.songaweek.com.

--------------------------------------------------

For more information about the film and to download the press kit and photographs, visit:

http://www.facingsudan.com/sudan.html

For more information about the songwriters, visit:

http://www.songaweek.com
http://www.myspace.com/kikomusictomflannery
www.myspace.com/lorneclarke1

PRESS RELEASE: TEACHER DOCUMENTS ATROCITIES IN SUDAN WITH AWARD WINNING DOCUMENTARY

CHICAGO Jan. 16, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE)---Chicago area history teacher Bruce David Janu never intended to make a feature length documentary about the situation in Sudan. But then he met Brian Burns and his life changed.

Burns was sweeping floors on the third shift at John Hersey High School in suburban Arlington Heights when the two crossed paths. They struck up a conversation and when Burns began relating his experiences in Sudan, Janu saw an opportunity for his students.

That chance meeting on a Friday afternoon led not to a speaking engagement in front of a class of freshman, but to a feature documentary entitled, Facing Sudan. The film highlights the situation in that war-torn country, but is uniquely told through the eyes of ordinary individuals who have made a difference there: a suburban housewife, a 73-year-old pediatrician, a grandmother, a high school student, several Sudanese "lost boys" and, of course, Brian Burns.

"I spent two years working on this in my spare time down in the basement," he says. In addition to the long hours, Janu ended up paying for the film using his credit cards.

But he did have help. His subjects supplied much of the footage from Sudan and he discovered two singer/songwriters from Pennsylvania, Tom Flannery and Lorne Clarke, willing to compose an original soundtrack for the film. Passionate about Sudan, the duo contributed songs completely pro bono, including "Crayons and Paper," a heartbreaking song that accompanies drawings made by children from Darfur smuggled out of Sudan by a pediatrician working with Doctors Without Borders.

"Two years ago, if someone said to me that I would be making a documentary about Sudan," says Janu, "I would have told them they were crazy."

Facing Sudan has toured the festival circuit and has received much critical acclaim, including two "best documentary" awards last fall.

The film has now been released on DVD by Bell, Book & Camera Productions with several deleted scenes, director commentary and a bonus song by Tom Flannery. In addition, Janu has provided lesson plans, hoping that Facing Sudan will fulfill his ultimate goals: education and awareness.

“Anyone can make a difference in this world,” he says. “Especially if you know what’s going on. As more people know about Sudan, the more likely something will be done.”

Press kit, artwork and photos from the film are available at http://www.facingsudan.com/sudan.html

----------------------------------------------
Contact:

Bruce David Janu
Bell, Book & Camera Productions
Tel/Fax: 847-462-5941
Cell: 847-721-9222
info@bellbookcamera.com

FACING SUDAN now on dvd!

Happy New Year!

2007 went by extremely fast. Last year at this time, I was wrapping up the film and starting the film festival submission process. In total, FACING SUDAN screened at 14 film festivals and won two BEST DOCUMENTARY awards.

Now, the film is available on dvd for the first time. This is a Special Edition version and contains:

• 12 extra scenes
• Director commentary
• English subtitles for the hearing impaired
• Theatrical trailer
• Bonus song by Tom Flannery entitled, "I Want To"
  

I made Facing Sudan to help raise awareness about the situation in that war-torn country. Therefore, I have made available a variety of free resources to help people use Facing Sudan for that purpose:

• For teachers, a 24 page lesson plan booklet
• Facing Sudan discussion questions
• detailed "teach-in" instructions
• Downloadable Sudan information placards
• And much more!

In addition, the purchase price of Facing Sudan includes a a limited public performance license of the film!

Visit the website for more information.

FACING SUDAN WINS!

This weekend, Facing Sudan, won BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE at the Landlocked Film Festival in Iowa City. The jury was actually split on the decision and we share the award with THE CLINTON 12, a documentary about the first court ordered high school integration in the South.

New FACING SUDAN Trailer

Here is the new trailer for Facing Sudan.

Notes from Breckenridge

Facing Sudan screened this weekend at the 27th annual Breckenridge Festival of Film. The festival was hosted by film critic Jeffrey Lyons and showcased a variety of independent films. Facing Sudan screened twice and the response to the film was phenomenal. Several people commented on how they were moved by it. One theater-goer told me that he thought the film should be required viewing for every American.

After the first screening, I had the pleasure to meet Carl Tinstman and his wife Tinbet. Carl had worked for the UN for many years in South Sudan. After the screening, he invited me out to lunch. We were joined by members of the Denver Save Darfur Coalition: Ben, Mary and Mike. We had a great lunch and great conversation about Sudan and what needs to be done there. Thanks again, Carl, for the lunch.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Elaine Bennett. She spoke to the audience for a few minutes about her project of opening a safe-house near Khartoum for Sudanese “Lost Girls.” She and her husband are planning another trip to Sudan this fall to help these homeless girls in Sudan. For more information about her efforts, please visit Mothers Without Borders.


The nice thing about the festival was meeting fellow filmmakers. One filmmaker who I had the pleasure of meeting and spending time with was Jay Curlee. His film, Rocking the Boat: A Musical Conversation and Journey, focuses on Delbert McClinton and his annual cruise that showcases some of the best musicians in American independent music. The film not only has some amazing performances, but also some amusing and insightful stories from McClinton and others. The film is a celebration of art unbound by the constraints of a corporate dominated media world. For more information about the film and to view the trailer visit Jay’s website.

I had the opportunity to meet with other filmmakers as well and the experience---my first festival experience—was an overall rewarding one.

Some other highlights from the festival:

A Death at a Funeral. This was the opening night film. Directed by Frank Oz, Death at a Funeral, is a fast-paced farce about a dysfunctional funeral in England. Although full of clichés, the film was truly hysterical; at one point, a scene involving fecal material literally had me in tears. The film opens nationwide on June 29. Check out the website for the film.

Last Stop for Paul. This was a truly amazing film which followed friends Charlie and Cliff on a trip across the world so that Cliff could spread the ashes of his recently deceased friend, Paul and attend the "Full Moon Party" in Thailand. Interestingly, the film was shot with one digital camera on the fly at various locations across the world. Director, writer and star Neil Mandt actually cast locals on the spot to play the various roles the often improvised scripted called for. As a result, Last Stop for Paul is a refreshingly natural and funny look at world travel. You can actually watch the entire film online in web episodes at the official site.

Dirt Nap. One of the weirdest and amusing animated shorts I have ever seen. In fact, I will have to view it several more times to catch all of the zaniness that filmmakers Kirk Reid and Mark Estep put into their 8 year long project. The film is a philosophical look at life and death by following recently deceased Norval as he descends into hell and meets God’s employees, including a crazy clown who works with Death and sports a Canadian accent. Einstein works in hell as well and is very angry with God because the Almighty had given his theory of relativity a resounding “F” grade. Einstein wants revenge. A truly original and funny short, Dirt Nap deserves a look. Even the tagline is funny: "Life sucks, and then you die. And then death sucks." Check out the website.

La Vie en Rose. This French film premiered at Breckenridge and chronicles the life---the sad and tragic life---of Edith Piaf. Told in a non-linear narrative, the film traces Piaf’s sad life from her birth to her death (although her actions in World War II are conspicuously absent). The film is engrossing and the performance by Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf is truly one of the best female performances that I have ever seen in a motion picture. Her performance alone is worth the entrance fee as she literally becomes Edith Piaf. But don’t expect to leave the theater in an uplifting mood as En Vie La Rose is a depressing chronicle of a trainwreck that was Edith Piaf’s life. For more information about the film, visit the official site.

Facing Sudan at the Boston International Film Festival

Today, Facing Sudan screened at the Boston International Film Festival. Here's what the Boston Weekly Dig said about the film:

Bruce David Janu, a filmmaker and teacher in Illinois, was pulled into the genocidal mess in Sudan through Brian Burns, a custodian at the high school where Janu teaches. Burns’s enthusiasm for aid work in Africa was infectious enough to inspire Janu to film a full-length documentary about him and other ordinary people who have taken it upon themselves to help Sudanese refugees. It’s a departure for Janu, whose filmmaking until now has been limited to amusingly titled educational films like The Adventures of History Guy: Gothic Cathedrals. But his educational background has served him well—he’s meticulous about documenting the haunting horror of the refugees and rescuers alike. Hard will be the conscience that leaves the theater unpricked.

A New Festival

Facing Sudan has been accepted to the Flint Film Festival. This festival runs from May 17-20 at Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan.

That brings the total film festival screenings to six.

More Fests Coming Up!

We are pleased to announce that 3 more festivals have picked Facing Sudan as an official selection. Facing Sudan will screen at the following festivals:

Boston International Film Festival
AMC/Loews Boston Commons
175 Tremont St. Boston
June 7, 2007
1-3:30 pm



Breckenridge Festival of Film
June 8, 2007
Screening T.B.A.



South Side Film Festival
June 19-23, 2007
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Screening T.B.A.



We are looking forward to screening in these fests. If you live in the vicinity of any of these fests, let us know.

We may recruit you to hang some posters. :)

Going to Staten Island!

Facing Sudan is an official selection of the Staten Island Film Festival. The festival runs June 20-24, 2007.

With the selection at Longbaugh, Facing Sudan will now have a screening on both coasts!

Here is the screening information for Longbaugh:

Facing Sudan
Saturday March 31, 2007
12 pm The Living Room Theaters
Portland, Oregon

A detailed schedule for the festival can be found here.

Facing Sudan Soundtrack Now Available!

The Facing Sudan soundtrack is now available via download from LuLu. The soundtrack features sixteen songs from the film.

Here is what I wrote about the music on the LuLu site:

The music by Tom Flannery and Lorne Clarke is nothing short of amazing. The music provides a special complement to the images and words in the film. Tom and Lorne have captured the emotional quality I wanted to have for the film and one listen will tell you that this music was created with passion---passion for not only raising awareness about genocide but also for human rights.

The movie opens with Lorne Clarke's "How Do We Sleep at Night?" This song raises a central question of the film, as Lorne sings with a compassionate bewilderment at society's lack of empathy and action in the face of such horrendous atrocities.

When I first heard Tom Flannery's "Crayons and Paper," I was moved to tears. The song is about drawings made by children in Darfur, brought back to the states by Dr. Jerry Ehrlich. Nothing hits harder than seeing war through the eyes of innocent children.

The soundtrack includes other songs as well: "Lost Boys" tells the story of Sudanese children driven from their homes by war; "Requiem for Butare" recounts an earlier genocide in Rwanda; "It's Called Genocide" takes modern western nations to task for ignoring the situation in Darfur.

There are more songs contained on the soundtrack. Take a listen. You will not be disappointed. I consider myself very lucky to have found Tom and Lorne. Facing Sudan would not be the film it is if it weren't for the work of these two marvelously gifted songwriters.

The soundtrack is only $10 and you can even listen to a preview. The download includes not only the songs but also a digital booklet which inlcudes the lyrics. Help support the songwriters by downloading the soundtrack here: http://www.lulu.com/content/693402