I Know I'm Not Alone
This film came out of the director's frustration with watching the nightly news and hearing generals, politicians and pundits, explaining the political and economic cost of the war in the Middle East, without ever mentioning the human cost. He wanted to hear about the war by the people affected by it most: doctors, nurses, poets, artists, soldiers, and his personal favorite, musicians. Michael Franti, world-renowned musician and human rights worker, travels to Iraq, Palestine and Israel to explore the human cost of war with a group of friends, some video cameras and his guitar.
A compelling soundtrack, visual and musical montages and Franti's intimate voiceovers make the film speak to the MTV, X, Y & Z generations, as well as the baby-boomers. A true armchair travel film pulling the audience into these war zones in the company of Michael's guitar, eloquence and wit - you feel the humanity, artistic resilience and sometimes horrific experience of what it's like to live under the bombs and military occupation.
With its guerrilla style footage captured in active war zones, the documentary is unlike the many academic and politically driven pieces in the marketplace, instead offering the audience a sense of intimate travel and the opportunity to hear the voices of everyday people living, creating and surviving under the harsh conditions of war and occupation.
Thank you telling this. It s the every day citizens that sufferer from the terrorists that appear on the Corporate news. Telling you about democracy. Unforgivable.
Very interesting documentary. It really shows the suffering of the Palestinian people. But shame on you for not telling the whole story. Not only did you get the facts wrong about the founding of the state (UN partition the land in 47 and the Arab states said NO and attacked (8 countries combined) the Jews. BTW, a million Jews from Arab countries tried were also displaced and forced to leave their homes. Lastly, it would have been good to show the real terror brought by the Palestinians (suicide bombings, murdering anyone possible, lynching, kidnapping, katushas, etc). Just blaming one side is not the right approach for peace. Let's tell the truth so we can bridge the gap and live in peace. Unfortunately, this doc is more propaganda for the BDS movement and others. Until the Palestinians find a MLK or Gandhi, nothing will happen. Peaceful demonstrations, educating their kids about non violence and eliminating hate of the Jews is a good start. Israelis have made many mistakes and are responsible for killing many innocent people, but the government doesn't promote teaching hate in schools and sing songs about killing Arabs. I hope everyone opens their eyes and gets both sides of the story...
It is not about being on the "right" or "wrong" side. The purpose of this documentary is to provide insight on the lives of those who are being affected by war. Those you see within this film live in a constant state of war at times like these, while those in America are shielded from it. The point is that war causes suffering and the lives of the common civilians that are at stake are ignored. The "reasoning" of war is irrelevant. This is not about the war, this is about the suffering that goes unnoticed. People are so quick to suggest war as a solution without thinking of the lives that are being afflicted. Please, set aside your own feelings and opinions and allow yourself to be empathetic.
I'm from Baghdad Iraq and i can't describe my life, life in iraq about car blasting in every were and killing, assassinations and alot of s***ty bad thing, truth is i cried after i watched this video because i rememberd when US army killed my brother. Thank you America for ****** my whole country, i'm still 21 i should have fun like any young man, but i'm just struggling for life, i even don't know why should i stay alive???
Rami: One human being to another- stay alive.
imagine no relgion. ploblem solved
Thanks for bringing another perspective on the middle east situation. The music makes the message even more profound. Well done.
I am Iraqi and living in Iraq all my life This is one of the best,decent and true to reflect the spirit of people and the situation in Iraq .great film in artistic way. congratulation
I hope that we in the West can embrace the sheer magnitude of this documentary. If we experienced even a modicum of the fear that Iraqi people face on a daily basis, since and as long this war continues
...maybe we could all understand.
If it was Iraq who held all the cards and if this war was on, US or Canadian soil and the shoe was on the other foot???
I believe that there is "good", real good in the world and that people care for their own. We can use our senses to realize there is a fundamental problem with wars of aggression in countries that can't hurt us.
Please don't let me down, humanity.
Im an Australian Waleed. I am so sorry your beautiful country was torn to shreds. if you ever get to Australia lets have some tea and a smoke perhaps.
If he was to get to your country, it would have to be by boat. "Illegally". Upon reaching/crashing onto the shores of australia, he would be sent to christmas island where, due to his audacity of choosing the boat's floating-debris-survival-kit over his travel documents, he would be (if he was lucky) sent back or (most probably)held indefinitely.
All of this while the media, politicians & the general populace (some even "proud" descendants of european migrants/refugees who made it to australia via structured state endorsed migration plans) use his suffering for political(election agendas)/entertainment(tv talk shows etc) gains.
Somehow S.E.T.H I dont think he's going to be able to squeeze tea and cigarettes in his tight schedule.
The biggest percentage of illegals to enter our country, enter via the international airports and not by boat. If you were to do some research about the illegals coming to this great land of ours you will see that most boat people have had a substantial amount of cash to both bribe and pay for their passage. If these boat people did the right thing and kept there documentation and did not have numerous aliases name and went through the proper channels like all other immigrants from other war torn countries their application forms for asylum would be processed more efficiently.
If the boat people were more open and honest with the department of immigration and disclosed all the information precisely without leaving vital information out that the department then has to investigate to ensure that your are who you say you are.
During my time in the defense force I saw that the true refugees could not raise the type of cash that it take the get them from their homeland to Australia via a illegal boat passage. That being my opinion is if you came by boat we should put you on the next plane back to your own country and placed into a refugee camp so the due process can be completed without our own political pressure for all the bleeding hearts that don't really have a clue what's going on in international politics and the corruption that is occurring through out these so call places of conflict.
I feel so much shame and this is only 13 minutes into the film
Great docmentary, very eye opening. I think it did the best job of any i have watched as far showing the what is really happening in Iraq. Do you realize how much money and resources we have supplied to supposedly rebuild this country? With our economy where it is this should inflame the American people to no end to see this little progress is all that has been made. Not to mention the moral obligation of rebuilding these peoples lives after we destroyed them for our own selfish gain.
As far as the Isreali Palestinian conflict, its simple. Until they let go of their religious convictions it will never stop, and that isn't going to happen. I am an atheist and cannot relate at all with this kind of thinking. How could you believe that some magical carpenter gave your people a stretch of land thousands of years ago? Why didn't he give you guys Hawaii, its beats the desert? I mean this little strip of desert is the best he could do for his chosen peoples? And, if he is omnipotent and all seeing, didn't he know this would also be considered holy ground to other religions, that by giving you this little strip of land he would be causing thousands of unnecessary deaths and leaving perfectly decent and moral people to struggle and live in fear? Give me a break!
I won't address the music other than to say I think your talent lies in making documentaries... That said, thanks for this wonderful insight and let us never forget the evil Bush and Cheney and other "leaders" like them who divide us all. Thumbs up, let us all remember how lucky we were in the birth lottery. You don't need religion to extend a helpful hand to those less fortunate. Less religion and more condoms
Whatever, the music was great.
Thank you so much for this one Vlatko! I'll be passing this one along. I just hope there's still hope...............
@ Arik
Imagine one day awaking to a totally atheist Middle East...
Paradise!
Hi, first of all I'm Jewish so you'll see where I'm coming from.
FYI, regarding the 6 days war back in 1967, I've a family member that died during the invasion going into Israel which took place before Israel retaliated so it wasn't Israel that attacked the fellow arab countries.
I've a death certificate to acknowledge that.
BTW, my family would be considered to be a left wing family so you cannot consider us as supporters of any type of occupation.
Have a nice day.
The score in this documentary is extremely distracting and obnoxious and frustrating. I feel like he is exploiting his own documentary to plug his album/music. it's pretty shameless. I'm not a fan of his music, but that's besides the point. It would have really done the film more justice to limit the amount of plugging....and perhaps include the music in a much more subtle way. ugh even the VERY FIRST credit at the end of the movie is his Name. totally shameless.
I am LISTENING to this doc rather than watching (mostly), because i'm at work and so it's possible that the music stands out even more since I'm not watching very much of it.
Otherwise, I feel that he was brave and noble to embark on this journey and to humanize people that have been reduced, at best, only to numbers...larger numbers...or no numbers at all.
@ younes
I think most people want to buy the music to help support the artist so he can keep doing what he is doing, to remind them of this beautiful documentary, or because his songs may say what they have wanted to say but couldn't. Just because they didn't comment directly about the peoples suffering doesn't mean they are "shallow" or do not feel for them. Don't be so quick to snap to moral judgements on others, you will fihd you are often mistaken. No offense intended, sorry if any was taken.
am really disappointed at the level of engagement of most of the commentators... it shows how shallow has become the level of thinking and understanding..the focus on the music rather than the suffering of people is really astonishing..keep degrading..
awesome doc ... there needs to be more revolutionaries for peace!
Men like this one will redeem America someday.
Bring a smile and a guitar,leave the M16 at home.
migluka.....the name of the band is Spearhead. The singer/guy doing the doc's name is Michael Franti.....you can find him and the band on itunes...hope that helps....
Oh, and good doc. I really enjoyed it! Thanks for posting this!
Amazing, this guy has a talent for connecting with people.
Vlatko, thank you for all your hard work, thank you :)