Documentary

They Turned Our Desert Into Fire – Mark Brecke

They Turned Our Desert Into Fire (2007)
In July of 2005, Mark Brecke was invited to Capitol Hill to give a presentation of his work in Darfur to members of Congress. The train-trip from San Francisco to Washington D.C. presented an opportunity to raise awareness about the crisis and became the subject for his documentary, They Turned Our Desert Into Fire.

In dramatic contrast to the bucolic American landscape outside the train, Brecke’s images of human suffering in Darfur and the refugee camps of Chad confront various train passengers. In many cases they had no idea the Sudanese conflict was so grave, nor the situation so dire. Some were shocked, other reduced to tears.

Complementing the photographs are moving accounts of Mark’s experiences and comprehensive expert analysis, which illuminates the full dimensions of the crisis and raises serious questions about the world’s apparent indifference. For the passengers, and thus the film’s audience, a cross-country train trip becomes an enlightening and emotional journey which raise the central question in They Turned Our Desert Into Fire – “Why does the public not know about this epic crisis and how can the world continue to do nothing?”

Though there are several layers of awareness within the film, the most compelling question raised is, ”Which had greater impact, showing the photographs to passengers’ on the train or showing them to members of the United States Congress?” It illustrates that the Sudanese genocide is not simply a problem to be rectified by the worlds governments, but that it is also a crisis that desperately needs attention by all of us.

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Author: MarBelle

MarBelle has a strange compulsion to watch as many films as he can get his hands on and find jobs that give him a legitimate excuse to drill filmmakers about their work. Directors Notes is the latest incarnation of this disorder and so much cheaper than film school. Twitter: @MarBelle

Tags: Documentary, Feature, Mark Brecke, They Turned Our Desert Into Fire, Video