Rob Lemkin is an award-winning filmmaker, and the founder of Old Street Films. He has directed and produced more than 50 documentaries, and made multiple films about the history and politics of Asia. In his latest film, Enemies of the People, Lemkin joins senior reporter with Cambodia’s Phnom Penh Post Thet Sambath in uncovering the truth behind the Khmer Rouge regime and Cambodia’s Killing Fields. We recently spoke via email about Enemies of the People and what can be learned from the brutality that took place under the Khmer Rouge.
Ed Kashi is an award-winning photojournalist, filmmaker and educator. He has so far spent 20+ years documenting the world’s social and political issues. His images have been published and exhibited all over the world and spawned the release of six books. I recently spoke with Kashi about his vast body of work: how it has affected him and how he hopes it will affect others. [A series of project-specific notes provided by Kashi follow our conversation.]
Observation: Over and over again, Sam Cooke would attribute his success to the art of observation. He wrote of what he saw and heard. He listened to it and spoke to it. Effortlessly and instinctively, he turned it into music. He sang the songs that brought relief to the civil rights movement. He sang the songs that formed a bridge. He sang the songs that healed. His furious will and feral tenor brought people to their knees, and lifted them to their feet. Then, at the height of his success, he was shot and killed. It was 1964. He was only 32.
It’s Saturday night in Chicago. I’m listening to When the Devil’s Loose by A.A. Bondy and going mad with time and wine. As usual, I’ve been thinking about a lot of things, too many things. I’ve been thinking about where I am, where I’ve been and where I’m going. And for some reason today, I can’t stop thinking about a Bondy show I was at on June 18, 2009. I was so lucky to be there.
Trying to Find Loneliness in a City of 8 Million+ byKirstie Shanley
It’s ok to be lonely, even in NYC. In fact, it might even be good for you. The city has a pulse that would suggest Tachycardia, and with so much stimulation, over time your brain feels abnormal if it isn’t processing something visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, vestibular, and/or tactile all at once. Those synapses are busy.
Noun/Verb is devoted to artists and their actions. Those driven to look further inside and out, to inspire and to be inspired—Noun/Verb explores boldly passionate individuals and the things that they do.
The purpose of our Live Talks series is to speak with artists—in a live setting—about their work, their craft, and the things that move them in all directions.
