originally written for The Emory Wheel: Arts & Living(www.emorywheel.com)
Last Thursday, College senior David Micley screened his documentary, “Cousins of Faith,” which depicts the lives of a devout Muslim, Ehab Jaleel, and a devout Jewish man, Kivi Bernhard, both living in Atlanta. Micley gave a brief introduction to an almost packed audience in White Hall 208 before premiering his 30-minute documentary. The screening of the film, which was Micley’s senior project for his Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) major in society and culture, was followed by a discussion panel between Micley and the two subjects of his film.
Bernhard is a self-employed diamond merchant while Jaleel is the executive director of a charter school in Atlanta. Both men make religion a strong priority in their daily lives. Jaleel discusses the serenity he finds by taking five minutes out of his workday for daily prayer in his office. He also mentions how he hurries from administrative meetings to Friday prayer at his mosque.
Bernhard remains constantly aware of his faith, humorously describing the link between diamonds and divinity in a scene set in his office. “God makes the diamond, we provide the service,” he said.
Micley divided the film into sections, sharing how Jaleel and Bernhard use their religion in their daily lives. Micley focuses mostly on how religion affects the atmosphere in the characters’ homes, and how they share their religious values with their families. The documentary illustrates the way religion permeates all aspects of life. Religion doesn’t exist solely in the Torah or in the Quran; it shapes how a family functions and feels, which is apparent throughout the film.
“I always thought of religion as something that encompasses everything — family, faith and life. Religion is everywhere,” said Micley.
One of the most powerful parts of the documentary is Micley’s juxtaposition of the different prayer practices of the two religions. He provides visuals of both men: Bernhard dons a tallit and tefillin, while Jaleel touches his forehead to the ground.
The scene displays the emphasis on the physicality present in both religions. Bernhard discussed this theme later saying, “It was good for people to see that point of similarity, of [prayer] being a tactile experience”.
Micley balances the more serious subjects in the film with more humorous ones. Whether it was Jaleel’s 9-year-old daughter breaking into giggles in the family prayer room or Bernhard frantically searching the floor of his office after dropping a $70,000 diamond, Micley added moments that made audience members laugh while learning about the lives of the two men. These moments, combined with the plethora of personal familial interaction Micley captures on camera, gives the audience an intimate glimpse of Jaleel and Berhard’s lives.
According to Micley, the process of creating the film was very much improvisational.
“As much as I wanted to tell a story, the story kind of told itself,” said Micley. “It was sort of a negotiation between my vision of the film and what I had to work with.”
The importance of the film being set in an American context is discussed throughout the documentary. Jaleel compares maintaining religion in America to religion in the Muslim countries he’s visited. “It’s a conscious, deliberate act here, and there it’s mostly passive and part of the culture,” he said. “I mean, it’s entering a mosque in Roswell, Ga.”
Bernhard praised the freedom of self-expression present in American society but noted how it can also hinder religious expression. “America offers both sides of the sword,” he said. “It gives you the freedom to [practice your own religion] but all the antagonizing forces too”.
When the documentary concluded, Barbara Patterson of the Department of Religion moderated a discussion panel between Micley, Bernhard and Jaleel.
She asked Bernhard and Jaleel about the experience of being the subjects of a documentary. Bernhard noted how much Micley’s demure disposition influenced the process. “Part of it is David’s personality,” he said. “He’s not a formal person which really helps in this.” This comfort level is clear during the documentary, as both Bernhard and Jaleel seem completely at easy with a camera invading their intimate lives.
Patterson questioned Micley as to why he chose to use film as a medium rather than to write traditional thesis paper. Micley said he found the visual aspect of film appealing: “When you’re looking at someone in real life, you don’t know how long you can look. In film you’re in a dark space and you can just observe,” he said.
Jaleel ended the discussion by emphasizing the core theme of the film. “It’s beneficial for us all to get to know each other better.” he said. “Whatever our faith.”
Bernhard is a self-employed diamond merchant while Jaleel is the executive director of a charter school in Atlanta. Both men make religion a strong priority in their daily lives. Jaleel discusses the serenity he finds by taking five minutes out of his workday for daily prayer in his office. He also mentions how he hurries from administrative meetings to Friday prayer at his mosque.
Bernhard remains constantly aware of his faith, humorously describing the link between diamonds and divinity in a scene set in his office. “God makes the diamond, we provide the service,” he said.
Micley divided the film into sections, sharing how Jaleel and Bernhard use their religion in their daily lives. Micley focuses mostly on how religion affects the atmosphere in the characters’ homes, and how they share their religious values with their families. The documentary illustrates the way religion permeates all aspects of life. Religion doesn’t exist solely in the Torah or in the Quran; it shapes how a family functions and feels, which is apparent throughout the film.
“I always thought of religion as something that encompasses everything — family, faith and life. Religion is everywhere,” said Micley.
One of the most powerful parts of the documentary is Micley’s juxtaposition of the different prayer practices of the two religions. He provides visuals of both men: Bernhard dons a tallit and tefillin, while Jaleel touches his forehead to the ground.
The scene displays the emphasis on the physicality present in both religions. Bernhard discussed this theme later saying, “It was good for people to see that point of similarity, of [prayer] being a tactile experience”.
Micley balances the more serious subjects in the film with more humorous ones. Whether it was Jaleel’s 9-year-old daughter breaking into giggles in the family prayer room or Bernhard frantically searching the floor of his office after dropping a $70,000 diamond, Micley added moments that made audience members laugh while learning about the lives of the two men. These moments, combined with the plethora of personal familial interaction Micley captures on camera, gives the audience an intimate glimpse of Jaleel and Berhard’s lives.
According to Micley, the process of creating the film was very much improvisational.
“As much as I wanted to tell a story, the story kind of told itself,” said Micley. “It was sort of a negotiation between my vision of the film and what I had to work with.”
The importance of the film being set in an American context is discussed throughout the documentary. Jaleel compares maintaining religion in America to religion in the Muslim countries he’s visited. “It’s a conscious, deliberate act here, and there it’s mostly passive and part of the culture,” he said. “I mean, it’s entering a mosque in Roswell, Ga.”
Bernhard praised the freedom of self-expression present in American society but noted how it can also hinder religious expression. “America offers both sides of the sword,” he said. “It gives you the freedom to [practice your own religion] but all the antagonizing forces too”.
When the documentary concluded, Barbara Patterson of the Department of Religion moderated a discussion panel between Micley, Bernhard and Jaleel.
She asked Bernhard and Jaleel about the experience of being the subjects of a documentary. Bernhard noted how much Micley’s demure disposition influenced the process. “Part of it is David’s personality,” he said. “He’s not a formal person which really helps in this.” This comfort level is clear during the documentary, as both Bernhard and Jaleel seem completely at easy with a camera invading their intimate lives.
Patterson questioned Micley as to why he chose to use film as a medium rather than to write traditional thesis paper. Micley said he found the visual aspect of film appealing: “When you’re looking at someone in real life, you don’t know how long you can look. In film you’re in a dark space and you can just observe,” he said.
Jaleel ended the discussion by emphasizing the core theme of the film. “It’s beneficial for us all to get to know each other better.” he said. “Whatever our faith.”
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