Pamela Jo Bowman

BY PAMELA JO BOWMAN - MESA ARIZONA — We have spent the last month trying to consolidate two households into one. In my home, I now have two LARGE desks, two pianos, two of too many kitchen items. Four cars for a two car garage. But the items that have altered all of our lives are … the Wii and an aquarium. Now you are probably thinking of an aquarium like I always thought of an aquarium. A glass rectangle with a couple of fish and a fake green seaweed thing to float around. Nope, that would be too simple. I have an aquarium that covers one of my walls … a wall that used to be the home of my children’s portraits. Not anymore. Now we have barrels and buckets and water systems and a constant hum throughout our house. We also have a luminous glow that emanates from that room. On Saturday mornings, I have a hose that snakes through my back door down my stairs and into the aquarium. Sometimes it smells a tad fishy. I’m not too fond of fishy.

At night we sit around and watch the fish swim. And the fish watch us … play. Family unity has come to mean something entirely different than eating dinner at 5 p.m. In our family, we bowl, play tennis, golf and my personal favorite … we box. I kick butt! All this in the comfort of my family room! Turn down the air! All this exercise is making me sweat bullets! Or it could be a hot flash, I guess. Hmmm. Back to the aquarium for meditation. By the way, anyone interested in a player piano? Wii deliver.

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BY PAMELA JO BOWMAN MESA ARIZONA - I love my boys! They are funny and cute and sensitive and musical, and smart and can cook and clean. I could go on and on. I think you can see they are cute comin and goin! Remember boys! Say No to crack!

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BY PAMELA BOWMAN, MANHATTAN, USA — I walked through the halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art experiencing the work of great artists through the ages. It was an overwhelming experience. On each wall, in each crevice and around every corner was a record in some form of our history. I kept searching because I felt it was not complete. It was not whole. Finally I couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Cyndi, where is the artwork of the women? Where can I see paintings by women?” My question did not surprise her, but she did take a moment to answer. “There were very few women artists during the Renaissance period. It was not thought that women could be great artists. They were expected to stay home and tend to the children and take care of the house.”

“But wait, I have seen movies where women are tutored in art … like Sense and Sensibility.”

“Tutored as a school exercise yes, but not seriously taught as a career. Men could take the time to develop their skills, women did not have the luxury of time.”

She was trying to diplomatic. I was appalled.

“How can human history be really accurate without the perspective of women? You have got to be kidding me? There were no women artists? What if they wanted to pursue art? Would they be allowed to?” Later research revealed that there were a few women painters of the Renaissance but most of them were taught by famous fathers and created only miniatures. It didn’t appear that any women were making their living creating art. Surely there must have been women who wanted to create art as a way of living. The only famous woman artist she could come up with was Artemisia Gentileschi.

Cyndi brought me to a room where there were sculptures by Auguste Rodin and his confidante and lover, Camille Claudel. As a young woman, she studied at the Académie Colarossi with sculptor Alfred Boucher. At the time, the École des Beaux-Arts barred women from enrolling to study. A gifted sculptor and graphic artist, she caught Rodin’s eye in 1883. An idea of how women artists were received? The famous art critic Octave Mirbeau wrote that Claudel was “A revolt against nature: a woman genius.”

My heart was heavy as room after room showed the meticulous work of male artists. It seemed that so many of the pieces lacked warmth. The level of skill was exquisite but there was a dimension that was often absent. Perhaps it was the lack of feminine interpretation of life. How much richer our history might be if we all are encouraged to participate equally.

My first thought was, “Good thing I live in the world today.” But then we started the discussion of today. Is it much different? We find more women artists in the world of art than at any other time. But, how many is that, really? In my medium of film, how many women are represented? How many women directors do we have? Producers? Cinematographers? How are they received? The small numbers reflect the truth.

This is NOT a discussion of division but of inclusion. What would be possible if we all were included. I would NOT want people to look at my work simply because I am a woman any more than I would want to have my work NOT taken seriously because I am a woman.

The difficulty is that in the past many women behaved more masculine in order to pursue their dreams. While women entered the art (and other) arenas, the feminine was still missing. Everyone has something to offer this world. It seems that we should embrace our differences and relish in the three-dimensional realm of possibility when all are represented. I believe that I have something to offer and each of you do as well. It is the contribution of all of the points of view that is important.

Today we have the choice to support and nurture each other. It is my hope that one day, my grandchildren will be walking those same halls of that same museum but it will be different as the scope of art becomes wider and deeper. The artwork of today will reflect a fuller spectrum because we’re all represented. The picture it provides will be more complete. Wholly representative of the human experience.

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BY PAMELA BOWMAN, MANHATTAN, USA — Yesterday we went to the press conference for TOWARDS DARKNESS. Written and directed by Antonio Negret, it is the story about a disastrous Columbian kidnapping. While there have been several films about the rampant kidnappings in Latin America, this film is unique because Negret’s family has experienced the phenomenon firsthand. Rather than being an action film about the event, it is an exploration of the desperation faced by the family and the victim. Because of the strength of the script and, undoubtedly, the connections of Producer America Ferrera, Negret was able to get many talented actors to participate. Among them, the incendiary William Atherton (of DIE HARD fame), delicious David Sutcliffe (from HAPPY ENDINGS) and Tony Plana (as the earnest Della Serra in AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN, officer Ray in LONE STAR and Martinez in PRIMAL FEAR).

Plana was eloquent and erudite during the conference. He’s the first actor I’ve known to make an argument FOR politics … politics of the people, of course. “If there is no political solution, the citizens are left in an existential hell. There is no future for the people,” said Plana, “And everybody is forced to sacrifice integrity for survival. They must destroy their enemies or be destroyed.” Plana voiced what Negret’s film reveals about the personal consequence of political impotence and antipathy.

In the film, while Jose, the victim, is physically bound, his mind is still free and he spends moments pondering his past while those who are physically free spend their moments paralyzed with fear and desperation. Negret said that he edited the film to show this contradiction. As more of the past is revealed, there is less and less time to handle the problem in the present so the cutting style is very aggressive. This viewer perceives the passage of time not as an opportunity for greater understanding but fewer choices. The film is worth seeing just for the editing.

One of our most exciting discoveries at Tribeca is Colombian actress Alejandra Borrero. Borrero was luminous as the mother of Jose and wife of Tony. She plays the mother with both tenderness and fierceness, a mixture that Borrero feels is typically Colombian. “What I loved about the part of Jose’s mother is that it shows Columbian women being strong. They never know if their husbands will come home again. They never know if they will see their children again. Columbian women are always prepared for independence.” Alejandra admitted to succumbing to the fear and reality of living in Columbia. “I left and lived in a different country for a few years. I discovered I wasn’t happy. I missed my home. I am now living in Columbia. I do not want to live my life like that. I choose not to live my life like that. My country is really a beautiful place with kind people.”

The audience faces the reality of this situation in a shocking conclusion and discovers that we all have to choose every day to be strong and live and love like there is no tomorrow. Catch the film!

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BY PAMELA JO BOWMAN, MANHATTAN, NEW YORK - Today we took the opportunity to watch three documentary films at a venue for the press. WILL EISNER, PORTRAIT OF A SEQUENTIAL ARTIST; TWO EMBRACES; BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH. We do like documentaries. We recognize how more people are beginning to appreciate them as well. We acknowledge that the public is becoming more sophisticated and more interested in these types of films.

You might wonder how a documentary on a man known for his contribution to the comic book world could reach a sophisticated audience but anyone who has been watching the evolution of the graphic novel craze knows that it does. PORTRAIT addresses Eisner’s contribution not only to animation but to young animators. Many artists including Neil Gaiman expressed their awe for his talent and their appreciation for enlarging the comic book venue to the adult population with adult topics, concerns and opinions. Eisner’s work was revolutionary. It expanded to more than the typical superhero stories. Comics became political and relevant mainly because of Eisner’s insight and vision. Eisner died in January of 2005 but his work has enabled others to see a different possibilty and experiment with their own vision.

TWO EMBRACES (DOS ABRAZOS) is a movie from Mexico. Since I lived there for 17 years, I am always interested in movies from and about Mexico. This was actually two movies blended together by a shared moment. What I appreciated about these films is the subtle acting that occurred. When you live in Mexico you realize that children are taught to act at festivals and school plays and presentations with theater flair and overly dramatic preformances. Watch a novela and you will know what I mean. In TWO EMBRACES, the actors were subtle and thus more powerful.

As for BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH, we weren’t sure for quite some time if we were watching a feature or a documentary. We weren’t sure if the story was about the circus or the political situation or the social ramifications in Uzbekistan. There were some amazing shots and even some story lines I wish they had developed more, but mostly I wish they had chosen one of the story lines and developed it into a more thoroughly satisfying film.

After today’s viewings, we felt that there are some amazing stories that need to be told. More voices that need to be heard. The ability to create these beautiful shots should enhance the story. Today’s technology should enable the filmmaker to add more depth to their story, but first the story has to be clear and crisp and did I mention clear? We know we can do some amazing things with the software that is available to us. We must not forget that it begins with the story and it should be about the story and it should end with the feeling of experiencing an unforgettable story. That’s the story for today’s slate of films.

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BY PAMELA JO BOWMAN, TRIBECA, NEW YORK - We walked by a restuarant in Tribeca and I immediately wanted to eat at this restaurant. Any eating establishment that has several limos out front and chauffeurs waiting under the awning seems like a safe bet. It took a bit of convincing for me to seriously consider the money side but Cyndi can be convincing about enjoying life in the moment. When will we be in New York again?

So we squared our shoulders and walked in like we owned the place. Turns out Robert DeNiro owns the place! They offered to take our coats and asked if we were listed. We were not of course but they seated us anyway!

We were pleasantly surprised by the prices and delighted with our entre choices. I believe Cyndi used the word divine several times with her Wisconsin accent! Imagine that! After her being a tad grumpy she perked right up after tasting the bread and wild mushroom and fontina ravioli. We really wanted the dessert but there was no way we could eat another bite and then walk, not roll, to the subway.
We will be frequenting the TRIBECA GRILL again before I leave. After all darling, it was divine!

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BY PAMELA JO BOWMAN - MANHATTAN, NEW YORK - Today was a busy day! It was a beautiful rainy New York day. We won’t discuss what happens to my hair on rainy days. Not very relevant. So Cyndi decides to override my cheap ways and hails a cab! To tell you the truth, it would have been faster to walk to the subway. She was mad that I was up and ready to hit the road by 8 a.m. Some people are a tad temperamental in the morning!

So we get to the private screening facility to watch THE DEVIL RODE ON HORSEBACK This is a documentary based on Brian Seidle’s experience in Dafur. Brian was a retired soldier hired as a peace keeping observer (the entity that hired him was never really established). Using his camera, he was able to document the genocide that was occurring there in 2003 - 2005 (and continues to this day). This movie showed Brian witnessing the massacres and also his own self-revulsion at being unable to stop the murders that were occurring right in front of him. He was convinced that his photographs would provoke an immediate response from the world and, in particular, the U.S. government. Although his message is very clear, I felt the film would have been more affective as a narrative feature. I believe more people would have been reached and more would have reacted as Brian naively expected.

I would like to address the whole Tribeca private screening experience. Apparently, in the past at Sundance, the press were allowed to check out movies to take home for private viewing (until last year when someone decided to copy them and distribute covertly). So, they discontinued that option. At Tribeca, they set up a little room with maybe 10 stations for press and industry to view films on a large flat panel display. We all wear earphones. These do enable you to hear your movie but they don’t quite mask the sound of everyone walking on the wooden floor above the screening room, people talking outside the screening room and even the noisy reactions of other screeners viewing other movies. The DVD of the movie we watched kept freezing and doing an unpleasant digital dissolution. Very annoying! Someone needs to resolve this issue.

After viewing this movie, we both needed to take a moment and absorb the information and the graphic images of the film. We walked, in the rain, to our next venue, a film workshop. This workshop discussed the different digital cameras and how they all are transferred to film. We were able to view short clips of current films (like CONTROL ROOM and IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS and JESUS CAMP) with details on the cameras and methods used by their filmmakers. We were really able see the benefits and shortcomings of different cameras and formats in the process of converting a film to (literal) film. This made me feel confident and relieved for our feature, which was shot on a Sony HD HVR-Z1U. The documentary, however, was made using four different cameras and four different formats. What a nightmare that puppy will be to blow up! OOOPS.

Afterwards, we went to a few of the press coverage screenings. Nice, but there are no Q&A’s. We hope tomorrow (when we see a movie with a festival audience) that there will be Q&A’s. We really enjoy the insight and understanding the Q&A’s provide regarding the filmmakers’ process and goals.

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BY PAMELA JO BOWMAN, MANHATTAN, USA — On our first taxi ride in New York our cab driver tried to rip us off. I looked at the meter and saw $25.50. I asked if we could swipe our credit card. The swiper was right in front of me! Nope. Cash only. How much? $40.00 dollars. Huh? We let him know we might be from somewhere else, but we aren’t dolts! That same day another taxi driver took the long way around. It took 20 minutes to go 5 miles! I picked up on their tricks. Tonight we took a taxi. He tried the tricks. He asked if we wanted to go 6th ave or 10th. We told him whatever was fastest. He said you can never tell in New York City. I told him to drop us off right where we were. We were a block from our B&B. That will be $4.30. Now we are talking!

We have experienced some wild animals. They are called rats. So far we have met three. I wanted to take a picture of this rather large rodent, but they scurry around so fast!

Tonight we rode the subway up to Broadway. I am getting really good at swiping my subway card. You would think I was a local. I am amazed at the night life of this town. Everyone is out walking around. Broadway was sooooo cool. We had a Mary Tyler Moment without the hat!

I love this town! I have not experienced the New York attitude except from people who aren’t really from New York! Funny how that is. After our cab situation, I was so disappointed that I put on my tough girl in your face don’t mess with me attitude. One of the reporters I met today asked how long I have lived in New York! Oh about 24 hours!

The subway has been another grand experience. We bought an unlimited 7 day pass. I can ride anywhere for 7 days! I would like to say it was a conscious choice to ride the “6″ downtown, but it was an error made by my traveling companion. You should never trust those teacher types! So off we went, climbed up the stairs, crossed the street to get to the other side of the subway, down the stairs and here comes that lovely public transportation. We even heard a guitarist entertain us in the station. How cool is that?

I haven’t even mentioned the food yet. There are these cute little cafes everywhere! So much competition can be a good thing for the customers! We have tried Italian, American. I have been told the Mexican food is something to avoid. How can I live without salsa! Someone help. This is New York City. Get a rope! Tomorrow will be another grand adventure. Wait that would be today! What is the point of sleeping? It really does get in the way! I don’t want to waste my New York minute.

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PAMELA JO BOWMAN - MANHATTAN NEW YORK - Yep, we are in New York City! Trying to attend the Tribeca Film festival. Today we rode the subway down to Tribeca. We managed to locate the building on Greenwich for our credentials. Then we headed 1/3 mile away to the press lounge.

We found out where we could set up interviews with industry people. We found out about private screenings so back to the Greenwich location to set up some screenings. We found out the movie we signed up to cover tonight was really just the red carpet arrival of “the stars”. We had to stand and wait for any available seats. We had to go to the theater where that screening was being held to buy any available seats for the films being shown within 24 hours. (several miles away, and no shuttles.) We asked about tickets for a screening to be held in 4 days. I think that would be out of the 24 -hour requirement, but no, we still had to go to the theater and wait ‘stand by’. Great fun! We were unable to get in. Back and forth we walked to get information and to find out they could not accommodate us. My feet, I can’t feel my feet! Numb, numb, numb. We have had some New York minutes, but that will be another blog!

We realize that this is our first experience at Tribeca. Our only reference is Sundance and SXSW. Every festival has their own way of producing their festival. What we have discovered is that Tribeca is in Manhattan. What that means is if you want to see any screenings you have to plan very carefully because the location screenings are very far apart. The best choice is to stay in the same location and see whatever they happen to be showing for the day. The private screening idea is pretty cool, but the movies of choice are limited to those that need more media exposure. All in all, it is a little frustrating as far as press goes.
So, if all else fails, enjoy the food, learn to ride the subway, take pictures like a tourist and enjoy being in New York City! OK. Left to my own devices, I know how to do that! Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully we will be more successful in covering this event as it progresses! All I have to say, ok…all I have to say right now is… know a good foot masseuse?

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BY PAMELA BOWMAN, MESA, USA - We all had preconceived ideas of what Africa would be like. These images reflect moments where we stopped and grasped what was real for each of us.


Photographs by FilmZambia Unit Photographer Mike Montesa

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