Meet the organizer--a conversation with selection committee member Debra Longo

By far, the best part of being an organizer of the Salem Film Fest is all of the wonderful people who do the work with you. I have personally made connections with people who I would never have had a chance to meet and work with if not for this festival. One of those people is Debra Longo, a documentary producer herself, who has helped with marketing and serves on the programming committee. Having served on the selection committee from 2007-2011 as the only woman, I was delighted when the committee expanded, and more women were added to the team. Deb was one of the first and she’s stuck with it ever since. She took some time to answer a few questions about her background in film and how she came to become a part of the Salem Film Force.

KCS: How did you first hear of the Salem Film Fest, and had you attended prior to becoming a committee member?

DL: I first heard about Salem Film Fest through my partner, Don Nadeau, who I am pretty sure is also the festival’s number one fan. I worked in the film industry at the time and frequented many film festivals as a producer, but had never gone to a festival just to be a member of the audience. It was an entirely different experience –no angst over how a film I had had a hand in would be received and no pressure to not mess up in front of an audience. I was hooked immediately.

KCS: What year did you become involved?

DL: I first got involved with the festival in 2011. Don forwarded me a social media post by festival co-founder Joe Cultrera who was looking for help with marketing. At the time I was marketing films professionally for the film company that I was working with. I contacted him and about a week or so later I met with co-founder Paul Van Ness at Jaho for coffee to discuss what was needed and things took off from there.

KCS: When did you join the programming committee and what made you say yes?

DL: In 2012 Jeff [Schmidt] and Joe [Cultrera] asked me if I wanted to join the programming committee. Programming involves watching dozens and dozens and dozens of documentaries over a four-month period and getting together for semi-regular “marathon” meetings with other programming committee members to discuss each film and determine the line up. I didn’t hesitate to say yes. While the time commitment can be fairly daunting – one year I watched nearly 80 films, and I still didn’t see every film that made the line up! In all honesty I feel like I hit the jackpot of volunteer gigs. I get to watch hundreds of incredible films and have thought-provoking discussions about them with a tight group of highly intelligent, passionate, and good-hearted souls. It’s a dream gig.

KCS: How did you become involved in the film industry as a producer?

DL: I had been working as a technical writer at an IT firm in Boston. It was during the “.com” boom and technical writing jobs were in abundance. I am avid cyclist, and at the time I was looking to live somewhere where I would never have to put my bicycle away for the winter. The job was a just a means to make it happen. I was starting to organize my life in this manner when I got a call from my sister who told me that the entrepreneur that she had been working for was starting a film company and needed someone to help him research story ideas, write, etc. She thought it was right up my alley. So I did what anyone else would do when presented with the opportunity of a lifetime: I said “no thanks, I am going to go out west so that I can ride my bike all year.” To which she said, “well, I already told him about you and there is no harm in a conversation.”

Soon thereafter I met him for what was meant to be a 30-45 minute conversation before work. We ended up talking for 3 hours and he offered me a job. I agreed to work with him for 6 months, after which we would reassess and I was likely going to pack up and move out west. I ended up staying for over a dozen years.

During the course of these years I came face to face with some giant thinkers and doers all of whom are helping to push the world forward. There was Father Christopher Hartley, a priest stationed in the Dominican Republic who was working tirelessly to improve the working and living conditions of the Haitian sugarcane workers living on the bateyes [a settlement situated around a sugar mill]. There was Regina Kelly, a single mother of four who was falsely accused of dealing drugs and rather than take the plea, she against all odds fought the charges risking the possibility of going to prison where many of those in her community who had also been accused ended up. And there was Maria Gunnoe, standing on the front lines of coal country waging war against the grotesque practice of mountaintop top removal mining. And these were just a handful of the folks that we met, interviewed, and ultimately made films with - each of whom left an indelible mark on my soul and in my heart, and all of whom taught me more about the kind of person that I want to be.

KCS: What is your most memorable Salem Film Fest moment?

DL: I think my most memorable film fest moments are the ones that happen behind the scenes. One in particular that comes to mind is when one of the programming committee members came to our final committee meeting of the year dressed as the character from a doc that was in contention for the last spot in the festival line-up. Collectively we screen over a hundred films every year for approximately 35 slots. Needless to say we have to make some very difficult choices, particularly at the end of the process. Whenever he walked in to the room in character we all burst out laughing.

KCS: Which film was the most unforgettable?

DL: Gosh we screen so many incredible films. Perhaps the most memorable film for me was last year’s THE BABUSHKAS OF CHERNOBYL. I still think about those women, all that they endured and all that they represent both in terms of the resiliency of the human spirit and the power of life to go on.

KCS: What’s your favorite doc-watching snack?

My favorite documentary-watching snack hands down is blue corn tortilla strips. Of course my partner Don is allergic to corn…so don’t tell him ☺

Your secret is safe with me. And also now the entire Internet. But don't worry--we’ve got your back.

If you see something you particularly like this weekend, maybe a film that makes you think about something a little differently, or a film that makes you feel a little bit closer to people in other parts of the world with very different experiences than your own, take a moment to leave us a note on Facebook or if you see an organizer, don’t be shy about flagging us down to tell us what you liked (or didn’t for that matter). The ultimate pay off for the selection committee members is when we get to see you, the attendees, experience these films. 

Filmmaker Spotlight: Catching up with SFF Alum Amy Nicholson

AmyNicholson's film MUSKRAT LOVELY was shown at SFF 2009 and she also screened ZIPPER at SFF 2013. This year she returns to Salem Film Fest with the short PICKLE.  SFF program director Jeff Schmidt caught up with Amy to talk about her work as a documentary filmmaker.

JS: How did you first get into filmmaking?

AN: I got into filmmaking as a result of losing a job! True story. After 9/11, I was laid off from my big advertising gig - along with a lot of people - and a friend recommended I take courses at NYU. The first year of Tisch can be covered in 2 summer sessions, and the second course requires that you make an 8-10 minute film. I made my first short, BEAUTY SCHOOL in that class and it got into a bunch of festivals. Then I was hooked.

JS: We first met you at SFF 2009, when we screened MUSKRAT LOVELY and then again at SFF 2013 with ZIPPER.  Can you talk about filming those documentaries and give us any updates on what has happened to your film subjects or Coney Island since we screened those films?

AN: Well, MUSKRAT LOVELY was my first feature. It was a bit overwhelming, but I knew I had to do a lot of homework and get to know the people before I could film in a small, close-knit community. By the time we went to shoot, we were getting lunch made for us on the days when we had interviews. It was amazing. I still keep in touch with most of the people from the film and I attend The Outdoor Show - the main even in the film - every year my schedule allows.As far as Coney Island goes, I have lost touch with a few of the guys, but I am still very close with one of the carnies. Of course, it’s been 8 years and the city has not built any affordable housing or made any infrastructure improvements (the excuses for that massive rezoning), BUT they have managed to force out all but a couple of the old timers and sanitize the amusement area. It’s really sad. ZIPPER was a really hard film to make, but I will never regret it; it’s a piece of history.

JS: This year, we'll be showing your most recent film, a short called PICKLE.  I understand you didn't have to travel far to find the subjects for this film?

AN: Spoiler alert: the stars of the film are my Dad and his wife, Debbie. It never occurred to me to ever film any of the animals over the years so it wasn’t as obvious a choice for a doc as it seems. However, it was so fun after ZIPPER’s grueling 7 years to make a film in 9 months.

JS: As a documentary filmmaker, what motivates and inspires you?

AN: That’s a big question and hard to boil down. The one thing I can say is that I am endlessly fascinated by people and life and the underbelly of humor that is always present - even in death. My favorite part of making any film is getting to know the people and getting them "in on” the project. I try to treat them as participants more than subjects. It’s very tricky to have fun with a subject without poking fun. I like the challenge of trying to walk that line.

JS: As we celebrate 10 years of Salem Film Fest, what do you think is the importance of documentary film in our daily lives and society?

AN: With all the social media and news and fake news and instant everything that can be uploaded all day every day, I still feel like documentary is a curated world. That doesn’t mean bad films don’t get made and slip through, but for the most part, it’s really hard to get a documentary in front of the public. They are vetted through funding, festivals, distributors and acquisitions and good documentaries have a certain level of art mixed with journalism that I think we need more than ever.

PICKLE screens as part of SHORTS BLOCK 2 on Sunday, March 5 at 12:15pm at The National Park Service Visitors Center

Filmmaker Spotlight: Catching up with SFF Alum George Gittoes

GeorgeGittoes' film THE MISCREANTS OF TALIWOOD was shown at SFF 2011 and this year he returns to Salem Film Fest with SNOW MONKEY.  SFF program director Jeff Schmidt caught up with the Australian filmmaker and artist to talk about his work as a documentary filmmaker.

JS: How did you first get into filmmaking?

GG: I started making short abstract films when I was in my early 20's in the 1970's. Self taught, starting with super 8 and moving up to 16mm. My first film RAINBOW WAY was all shot underwater with abstract light effects created in the ocean with glass prisms suspended above. This was followed by REFINED FIRE which while still experimental had a political message against nuclear weapons and using fossil fuels. Soon I realized that short films were only watched by a special audience and largely 'preaching to the converted' so I made my first TV documentary TRACKS OF THE RAINBOW about urbanized aboriginal teenagers seeking to regain traditional tribal knowledge. This was followed by WARRIORS AND LAWMEN about the injustice of imposing European Law on indigenous tribal people. After cutting my teeth on Aboriginal related issues I had gained a taste for the larger audiences of TV political doc making and headed for Nicaragua in 1986 to make my first film in an International Conflict Zone, THE BULLETS OF THE POETS - (about) the contra war being fought clandestinely by agents of Ronald Reagan. My focus was on women revolutionaries, who were also poets. From that point on I have spent my life at war on a personal mission to help end war. I differ however from many doc makers with a background in journalism - mine is as an artist so  rather than straight war reportage my emphasis has always been on people finding creative solutions to bring peace.

JS: At SFF 2011, our audience was first introduced to you when we screened THE MISCREANTS OF TALIWOOD, the first film in your "What the World Needs Now" trilogy.  Can you explain what has compelled you to journey to some of the most dangerous areas of the world with your camera in hand?

GG: I grew up in Rockdale which is something of an Australia version of Ellis Island being the first place where many refugees settle when they arrive. There were only two Australian born families in my street and all our friends had escaped the violence of a Europe broken by World War II. I was born in 1949 shortly after my father returned from the war. I heard stories in many languages and began doing puppet shows for the neighborhood while still in primary school. The shows were in our backyard and the money I raised went to the Red Cross to assist refugees worldwide. I knew I was an artist from an early age but that humanist start made any art which did not have a social purpose seem empty and superficial.

I wrote to Mother Theresa in Calcutta saying I was unhappy that my skills were those of an artist and not of a doctor or engineer as I felt they could do more. She wrote back and her letter is now in our State Library. She advised me to use 'The gifts which God has given you but use them for others...  and you will be fulfilled."  I have followed Mother Theresa's advice to the letter and I am now a very happy 67 year old looking back on a life where I have used my creativity to make films like SNOW MONKEY and my paintings to sell and finance projects like our Yellow House Creative Centre in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

JS: This year, we'll be showing your most recent film SNOW MONKEY as we follow you to Jalabad, Afghanistan. What compelled you to want to tell this story?

GG: If you go back over the themes of my art and filmmaking the most consistent subject is that of innocent children caught up in the insanity of the wars that adults have brought about. Having worked in Afghanistan on and off for 20 years I felt the real victims of the unending conflict were the children. The first three child ice cream vendors I interviewed embodied the central problems of the country: Zabi had to work because his farmer father had been blinded by shot gun pellets in a raid by US forces where they had gone to the wrong house, Iran's dad was one of many drug addicts in a country where the main cash product is opium, and Saladin's father was a cripple due to not being inoculated for polio as a child in a country where there is no health coverage. These kids were all bright entrepreneurs having financed their own small businesses - renting carts and investing in stock to sell - making me realize they should be going to school. We helped create better paying products with them selling DVDs along with their ice creams so they could work shorter hours. Then we paid for tutors to help them pass the exams to get school entrance. Our actual films are only the tip of the iceberg with what we do. I could never be a pure documentarian recording people and events but not directly getting involved with improving their lives.

JS: How did you encounter the street gang kids at the heart of the film and persuade them to be filmed?

GG: While filming  the Ice Cream sellers and the Ghostbusters who sell protective magic with their smoking cans I began to notice more shadowy presences  and realized there were predators circling. I knew the needle park where addicts go to shoot up was gangster central and I had a gypsy friend, Janat, who ran an open air cafe there. We went to Janat to find out how it worked. Janet introduced me to the amazing Steel, the half sized king of the child gangs.  I did boxing when I was younger and was surprised when Steel took my hand and examined my fists. He approved of my damaged and spread knuckles and I had instant trust. At first Steel came across as a monster and I was criticized for encouraging him by letting him say he was the star of our movie but when I met Shazia and realized there was a love story, everything I had thought about him changed.  Shania wants to steer Steel away from the gangster life and now works, with my partner Hellen ,at the Yellow House assisting with the Women's Media workshops and Steel knocks on the gate every afternoon to walk her safely home. If I have my way, Steel could end up as my right hand man at our Yellow House. It is clear he has genius level intelligence and just needs direction. We got him IQ Intelligence tested while trying to enroll him at the school and his test results were off the chart.  He has no father  and his mother does not care how he makes his money, so long as he brings it back to her. Steel has become my responsibility and is one of the main reasons I have to keep going back to Jalalabad

JS: I understand you are working on a new film(s) shooting in the United States, what can you tell us about this project?

GG: We are presently shooting a new film in Miami which is a sequel to the film we made 12 years ago there called RAMPAGE.  When I heard that Denzel (14 yrs old in RAMPAGE) had been shot in a gang feud and nearly died as his brother Marcus had when we were making our earlier film, I felt I had to be there for him and the family but, also, to make a film to show how violence in black neighborhoods in the US has increased to a crisis point.  We have called the film WHITE LIGHT because that is the title of the song Denzel wrote while waiting for an ambulance to arrive with two wounds from an AK47 rifle to his chest. He saw the white light of the other side and wrote about it never expecting this rap song/poem to be heard. I have Reverend Jonny Davis of the local church and many other community leaders behind this project and hope it can help the Black Lives Matter movement to gain greater empathy and support in the US.

JS: As a documentary filmmaker, what motivates and inspires you?

GG: I have had many offers to direct drama films but have always refused as I am a committed documentary maker. What I love about it is the unpredictability. It is like social sculpture - working with people who are not professional actors to make them look good and even though they are not acting I am still trying to bring out their best performances to camera no matter what the situation. To do this in times like when back in Miami 12 years ago, Marcus was killed and the family were viewing his body in an open coffin takes great sensitivity and trust. I never burn my bridges with the people I have filmed and this proven by the way my films keep going full circle and coming back. If you watch WHITE LIGHT you will see me getting a lot of big warm hugs from members of the family and members of the community. This can only happen when the people who the film is about are included in the process. The Taliban leader, Haqqani who appears in SNOW MONKEY sat down with his seven sons and watched the film and gave it his blessing. It is important to work with this level of transparency and be prepared for the criticisms that can come out of it. I played football when I was young and loved the fact that in competitive sport the result is not known until the last whistle of the referee ends the game. With documentaries it is the same level of risk - you never know if you will win or lose but it is a wonderful feeling after all the stress to know the film is 'in the can' and you have enough material make it work in the edit room.

JS:  As we celebrate 10 years of Salem Film Fest, what do you think is the importance of documentary film in our daily lives and society?

GG: I am about to head with my small crew of Hellen and Waqar (Yellow House cameraman) to Aleppo in Syria. This was not on our agenda one month ago but we are reacting to Donald Trump's ban on Syrian Refugees entering the US. The inhumanity of this ban on assisting people who desperately need help indicated that it is more important than ever to show the impossible conditions peopl , especially children, are living in and have been forced to escape from.  While researching our plan to go to Aleppo I spoke to several Syrian doctors working behind the lines of fighting. In each case they showed they felt hopeless in the face of unending violence and they all said the fighting was going to go on and on and on with no hope of it stopping but that the world had begun to think it had ended and at this point each doctor began do break down and cry so many tears we had to end the skype connection. When we arrive in Aleppo  we will inject new hope. Reassuring them that there are those in the outside world who still care. This is the role of a documentary filmmaker. I cannot think of anything better to do with my life and skills.

All these stories and more are available in my recently released book BLOOD MYSTIC - published in Australia by Macmillan. It can be downloaded in the US and details are on my website GITTOES.COM.

SNOW MONKEY screens on Wednesday, March 8 at 8pm at CinemaSalem

How to get the most out of Salem Film Fest--a chat with the master

As the ten-year anniversary of the Salem Film Fest fast approaches, we take a moment here to reminisce with early adopter Don Nadeau. Well-known around CinemaSalem prior to the first festival, Don showed up year one, completely prepared with his dog-eared program and well-stocked backpack. This has not been scientifically verified, but there’s a pretty good chance Don has seen more Salem Film Fest screenings and been present at more Salem Film Fest events than any other attendee. He seemed like the ideal person to chat with about his experience of the fest over the last 10 years, and he cheerfully agreed to submit to my email questionnaire.

KCS: Hi Don—thanks for taking the time to do this! Have you always been a fan of documentaries, and if so, how did discover them? 


DN: I remember, after learning to differentiate docs from other broadcast media, (still sometimes a challenge) Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom weekly nature show, Jacques Cousteau's marine explorations, and other learn-about-the-world shows I watched as a child. I have an early impression that Kukla, Fran, and Ollie's movietimes [CBS Children’s Film Festival] seemed to introduce me to foreign cultures (I was french-canadian then - still am!); and, yes, Mr. Rogers interviewed folks from many professions, similar to some of our film fest's many informative and entertaining Salem Shorts!But my most vivid recollection is of my twin Donna and I lying on our bellies on the living room rug on our 7th birthday, side by side, chins propped up on the heels of our hands, forearms pillared on our elbows, with our 7 other siblings and parents watching a wooden-box-on-legs rounded black-and-white screen TV, after having watched day by day as we approached and then circled, and then we (the world was watching) landed on the Moon. I watched us leave our imprints and return to a liquid blue-stained marble suspended in a limitless back velvet void.

KCS: I feel pretty certain you've seen more Salem Film Fest documentaries than any other person. Your commitment to the festival is staggering.

DN: Nah, it's just so much fun! There is so much camaraderie, and I love to indulge! For a whole staycation week I get to see absolutely fascinating people (and meet several), places, and things from all around the world in the comfort of our neighborhood cinema!

KCS: Talk a little bit about your strategies for seeing as many films as possible. What's in the backpack?


DN: Tips: Plan ahead. Use the program: Write a draft schedule with special attention to venues, revise it, and buy tickets early. The festival is now up to eight days of film, interviews, workshops, and live intercession music; about thirty docs, in several walkable (and wheelchair-accessible) venues. Access is simple with the new Salem train station parking garage right nearby, and the cinema is on a lovely pedestrian mall and has an indoor mall and a parking garage. Dress in layers, and, like for any con, stay rested, watered, and fed.Wonderfully, Downtown Salem is extremely walkable (even with New England drivers) and has many fine restaurants.  I don't use vacation time; I go to work early each Film Fest weekday so I can leave in time to catch the first evening screenings without rushing and getting a seat in the back.Backpack: Con (conventioneering) gear: My name and contact info, a notepad and pens, a soft marker for autographs, candied ginger for aches, healthy energy snacks and water, storage space to shed layers—remember March can be cold or rainy some of the time— and a small pillow for my old back.And here's a big shout out to Jen and hubby at neighboring Thai Place Restaurant for providing many tables full of delicious, healthy meals at the cinema for the many volunteers who make this all-volunteer fest run so smoothly every year.

KCS: Like most festivals, SFF has a lot of experiences other than the films themselves. Anything in particular you look forward to? And if so, why?

DN: So many! Camaraderie with friends old and new. It is an annual global tribal filmmaker and viewer cultural harvest celebration, pollinating and seeding our ancestral knowledge for our next generations, the world's children; reinforcing our filial bonds to our parents, grandparents, history, and the world itself; and maybe giving us hope for a better future sooner rather than later. You really want to know what's going on? Watch docs. (But watch out for propaganda pieces.) A high point for me is the many filmmaker-in-attendance interviews, many of which I have recorded! Lastly, the festival itself. It really helps to have it to look forward to during our New England winters

KCS: What’s the most unforgettable film you ever saw at Salem Film Fest?


DN: I have seen hundreds, the first ones nine years ago, but here goes. <clears mind> Well, visually I remember the volcanic sulfur harvesters. Backpacks brimming bright yellow, hiking up and down steep paths through searing snakes of steam, brutality and otherworldly grace.

KCS: You're in a position to comment on how the SFF has changed and grown over the years. How has it evolved for you, for better or worse?

DN: Well, there are more docs than at first, and the screenings overlap, so one cannot see all of them at the fest. The good news is sometimes DVDs are for sale! It has always been a well-run, friend-filled vacation week (though as noted I don't miss work, thanks to the evening screenings for the weekday docs); but now more and more shows sell out, and I have (and make) more and more friends who participate. Each year holds remarkably true to the spirit and execution of the early years, and I attribute that to the skill and dedication of the organization committee, the selection committee, and all the other volunteers.

KCS: What’s your favorite doc-watching snack? 

DN: It used to be Reese Cup 4-packs from the counter, but it evolved into organic (watch the doc) fair-trade (watch the doc) non-child-labor (watch the doc) dark chocolate peanut butter cups!  Also, the CinemaSalem Café makes a delicious chocolate-peanut butter frappe I call "the Don.” Sadly, I'm allergic to popcorn, but the fresh-popped popcorn with real butter aroma is very enticing! Definitely sets the mood.

KCS: You are clearly a film lover. What are some of your favorite kinds of films outside the documentary genre?


DN: I love science fiction and some fantasy, including anime, and science and nature, and especially solar system space exploration! So think Aria: the Animation (gondolier training in Neo-Venezia on terraformed Mars).

KCS: If you were trapped on a deserted island and had only three films to watch for the rest of your life, what would they be?

DN: Long ones! The Neverending Story, LOL (I, II, III etc.), the hours-and-hours-long Tenth Kingdom, the complete Ghost in the Shell. I know, I kinda cheated and crammed in miles of celluloid "film,” but it's the rest of my life we're talking about here!Actually, for content and length I like the Peter Jackson's wingnut versions of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, the hours and hours of the British versions of Frank Herbert's Dune and the Harry Potter saga. Wait. One would hafta go so I could include all things Firefly. I guess that would be limited by your draconian rules to the capstone film of the Joss Whedon series: Serenity <genuflects>.

Well there you have it folks, from the master himself—master of documentaries and master of breaking my draconian deserted island movie collection rules. It’s three movies people. Three. Not collections. Not sagas. Not trilogies. They’re not even my rules! They are the rules of deserted islands. Something tells me though, if the deserted island deities are going to let anyone bend the three-movie rule, it’s gonna be The Don. With less than a week to go before the festival opens, have you made your festival plan? It’s never too early to pick your films and get your tickets. Hope to see you all there!

Filmmaker Spotlight: Catching up with SFF Alum Ben Nabors

Ben Nabors' film WILLIAM AND THE WINDMILL was shown at SFF 2014 and this year he returns to Salem Film Fest with THE HAPPY FILM.  SFF program director Jeff Schmidt caught up with the US based filmmaker to talk about his work as a documentary filmmaker.

JS: How did you first get into filmmaking?

BN: I originally moved to New York City to produce live experiences. I hosted a monthly event series that focused on creating scenarios that would cause strangers to interact with each other. These events became narratives, then the narratives became more interesting for me if I could record them. Around this time, HD cameras became affordable and the Internet could sustain video. In other words, the means of film production were within reach, as was the audience. I started my own production company shortly thereafter.

JS: We first met you at SFF 2014, when we screened WILLIAM AND THE WINDMILL.  Can you talk about filming that documentary and give us an update on what William is up to these days?

BN: I approached WINDMILL in a similar way to THE HAPPY FILM: over a long period of time with an open perspective. Each project took more than 5 years to shoot, and through the course of production, each story changed significantly from what I had originally intended. This has become an important lesson for me, which I summarize as follows: what actually happens is far more interesting than what I thought would happen. In all my work, I try to remain open to the unexpected; the stories tend to get better that way. William Kamkwamba graduated from Dartmouth College a few years ago and moved to the Bay Area where he works with a design firm. By all accounts, he seems to be doing just fine.

JS: This year, we'll be showing your most recent film THE HAPPY FILM, which is very different than WILLIAM AND THE WINDMILL. What compelled you to want to be part of this story, which also happens to feature your co-director Stefan Sagmeister?

BN: I met Stefan at a TED Conference in 2009. Prior to seeing him speak, I had admired his work from afar, and I appreciated his honesty. Stefan says things other people think about, but often don’t verbalize. I like that about him. At the time of his TEDtalk, Stefan had conceived the question that is now central to THE HAPPY FILM: “can a person train their mind to be happier?” I wanted to know the answer to that question, too, which is the thing that always compels me to get involved in a new project: a question to which I don’t know the answer. At the time, we didn’t realize that Stefan would be our guinea pig, or that the film would take us years to make, or that it would test our friendships, or that we would lose a partner in the process. We just hoped that the outcome would be useful for others. I think it is, but audiences will have to decide.

JS: As a documentary filmmaker, what motivates and inspires you?

BN: I get motivated by interesting characters and by questions to which I don’t know the answers. These films take years to make, and curiosity sustains them.

JS: As we celebrate 10 years of Salem Film Fest, what do you think is the importance of documentary film in our daily lives and society?BN: Empathy is one of our most important traits. It keeps us decent. Documentary, when well made, allows us to step outside of our own lives, and inspires empathy through  the experiences of others.

THE HAPPY FILM screens on Friday, March 3 at 7:05pm at CinemaSalem