November 01, 2009 12:00PM EST

Jared Cohen:
Film as Citizen Politics

The Souk Waqif in Doha, Qatar
© 2009 Getty Images, Credit: Michael Buckner

This evening I had dinner with a group of Iranian filmmakers. Having spent a fair amount of time in Iran in 2004 and 2005, I was naturally keen to meet with this group. As someone who lives and works in DC, I am always inclined toward political discussions, and there is no more fascinating topic than Iran. But this wasn’t the dinner conversation. Instead, we talked about film, creativity, what makes good editing, and the role of humor in cinema. I tried to bring up the political situation a few times and was entertained by a remark or two, but it always came back to the films. At first I was confused as to why the conversation didn’t gravitate towards politics as it often does for me during my travels. What was I missing?

As I walked through the Souk I thought back to the descriptions of the films offered to me at dinner and the stories of how some of the filmmakers can’t return because of what they directed and/or produced. I also recalled their facial expressions when they described the characters and the narratives. In between looking at falcons in shops and contemplating the purchase of an oversized door in the Souk Waqif, it dawned on me that I missed a fundamental point: we as people often express through our trade. While for some that is an NGO or an article, the people I met at the film festival do it through cinema. There are some who are skeptical of this, but to them I say anyone who says expression through art and culture has no impact on politics has obviously never been to the Doha Tribeca Film Festival.

No, film will not stop wars, solve sectarian conflict, or address the global development challenges we face. But it is a grassroots movement in and of itself that builds relationships, bonds, and bridges across cultures, religions, and backgrounds. Why is this important? Well, politics, negotiation, compromise, and peace are all based on trust. There is no better way to build trust than to engage based on the purest of human qualities, which is creativity and love of the arts.

As I head to the airport to go back to my day job, I’m reflecting back on the casual conversations, invited eavesdropping sessions, pull-aside talks, and chatter by the DJ booths at the after parties. The same thought keeps crossing my mind: what happens next year, and the year after, and the year after that? Over time, this film festival will build a network of people from diverse backgrounds, political persuasions, and perspectives; yet my guess is we are more likely to see arguments over good editing than we are land or politics.

I want to thank the Doha Tribeca Film Festival for showing me that film is more than entertainment; it is a productive form of citizen politics without the messiness.
 

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Jared Cohen is the author of several notable non-fiction titles, including Children of Jihad and One Hundred Days of Silence: America and the Rwanda Genocide. He supports Tribeca in his personal capacity, but is also a member of the U.S. Secretary of State's Policy Planning Staff.

Read more about 2009 Doha Tribeca Film Festival.

To learn more about the Festival, visit the official website.

Visit the Souk Waqif with Doha TFF: