Resources for October 23, 2017

Al-Hamza, Abdel Aziz, Mohammed Al-Musali and Matthew Heineman. "Raqqa Liberated." On the Media (October 18, 2017) ["News came this week that the US backed Syrian Democratic Forces had finally liberated the city of Raqqa from the grip of ISIS. For the past three years the people trapped inside the oppressive ISIS regime suffered daily. Yet, reports of torture and assassination in the terrorized city did not come from traditional outlets. Rather, Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, a band of citizen journalists led by Abdel Aziz al-Hamza, risked their lives to report the egregious conditions in a place that was notoriously difficult to enter or escape. Matthew Heineman followed this group in his new documentary, City of Ghosts. Bob speaks with Heineman and al-Hamza about their experiences in Raqqa and how these journalists found inspiration to continue their work. Also, Iraq’s nine-month operation to push ISIS out of Mosul yielded bittersweet news this summer: the liberation of a starved and terrorized city. Over the previous three years, ISIS sought to completely isolate the people of Mosul by shutting off access to the internet and outside media. Radio Al-Ghad, a community radio station, defied the media blackout and risked death to give a voice to the civilian population. Brooke speaks to Al-Ghad’s founder Mohammed Al-Musali about how his heroic team managed to shine a light into Mosul, win over ISIS supporters, and save countless lives."]





Hasler, Jeff. "Jane." Following Films (October 20, 2017) ["JANE is the story of how Jane Goodall became Jane Goodall – using footage shot by future husband Hugo van Lawick of her first experiences in Gombe, Tanzinia in the 1960’s. Previously thought to be lost forever, the footage was only recently discovered in a storage unit, and has been now masterfully intercut with interviews of present-day Jane Goodall to provide an in-depth portrait of her life. Directed by Bret Morgen (THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE, MONTAGUE OF HECK) the documentary also features an enchanting original score by Philip Glass."]

Raengo, Alessandra. "Holding Blackness: Aesthetics of Suspensions." Liquid Blackness #7 (October 2017)

Selma (UK/USA: Ava DuVernay, 2014) Dialogic Cinephilia (Ongoing Archive)