Everyday we get emails and tweets and phone calls asking when and where our movie will be released for everyone to see.
No one is more anxious for this to happen than us.
But here is where we are at…
We've been submitting to film festivals around the world – and we love festivals and it's a great idea to get it out this way.
We are waiting to hear if we will be accepted to any of the festivals we've submitted to – and we are submitting to more as time passes.
BUT…
Our personalities are not very good at waiting for permission from someone else to let us screen our movie. After all, we are independent, documentary filmmakers.
As documentarians, we have something to say – we made this movie without anyone's approval or permission. Because we did this on our own, without the sanction of a studio or network, without funds from a charitable organization or corporation, there is no standard or approved path for distribution. This film lives or dies on our efforts and the efforts of those who love and support us to get it out to the world.
When you have a film that covers such a sensitive topic and questions authority, it makes it sometimes becomes difficult to get wide distribution. Conventional wisdom tells the curators and decision makers, "Don't rock the boat."
So we need your help.
Our goal is to get this film in front of as many people as possible. We came into this project with our eyes open. We knew from the beginning what we were up against. The money to pay for this film came out of our own pockets and continues to ring up costs as we pursue the best distribution, but the story we told was important enough for us to accept those costs.
Even though this film is an historical documentary, it is relevant to issues we are dealing with today as a country. It addresses loss of Habeas Corpus rights, Civil Rights violations, fear and abuse of immigrants, loss of Due Process, and racism.
It's about how our leaders have used fear and hate to manipulate us and convince us to take action that sometimes goes against our better nature as Americans and human beings.
A quote that inspired us as we made this film comes from one of our nations founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, "Those who are willing to give up their liberties for a little bit of security, deserve neither liberty or security."
Our documentary is the very first one that has ever been made on this subject. It has been neglected and generally unknown by the public for over 60 years. We ARE from German decent and we grew up in a German community and we NEVER heard this story until recently. It has been hushed and tamped down for too long.
We consider ourselves extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to interview the actual detainees from these camps while they are still with us. There are no better sources for history than primary sources. Oral history, from its inception in ancient days to today has been the way we have interpreted and learned from our mistakes as humans and it has allowed us to grow as a culture.
We want to give you the opportunity to buy a ticket to this film in your home town.
It is our plan to screen our film in as many theaters and as many cities as possible and meet as many of you as we can. We can set up these screenings in your town if we know we have enough people to fill the seats and pay for the theaters. Right now, we are setting up the technology to make it possible for you to buy a ticket to see "Children of Internment" in your home town movie theater.
In the upcoming weeks, we will explain exactly what you need to do to help us make this happen.
All we are asking for today is that you let us know you are interested. If you are, please give us your name and the zip code you would like us to screen the film. There is absolutely no obligation if you fill out this form and we will treat your contact information with respect and promise not to sell or give it to anyone. Tell us where you want to see this film. We hope you will join us.
You'll be hearing from us soon.
- Joe and Kristina
You might consider offering the film up to Universities/Colleges to start. Or contacting different German American History Museums and or organizations. A lot of documentaries (Speciesims, The Ghosts in Our Machine) started with their focal audience and then went global. Just a thought
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Great idea, Katherine.
We have several universities who want to screen it – so that is in the works. We are also hitting some historical societies and German organizations – so if anyone has suggestions about specific places like this or know people who are at an institution or organization that might be interested, let us know.
AND if anyone has the ear of a program director at a film festival and can put in a good word for us, that too would be very helpful.
The feedback is welcome.
Thank you,
Joe
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Joe and Kristina: I am forwarding this website and much more information to the leadership of the Indiana German Heritage Society. (IGHS.) Specifically to Dr. Ruth Reichmann. I know she will respond.
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Hoi there,
probably, for the time being, you are restricting your initiative the US. Should you intend to extend the Action towards Germany, I’d glad to assist in that venture (contacts etc.).
Best regards and good luck,
Bernd
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Have you contacted the Goethe Institute in Washington DC or the German-American Heritage Museum? The Goethe Institute has a moderate size theater and often shows special interest films.
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Will this documentary be available on DVD? I live in Denmark and it might be a little difficult to get an opportunity to see it.
The only hope is that you can sell it our televisionstations?
Yours
Therese
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Hi Terese
Yes, it will, but it’s a bit of a process getting through the marketing segment of the film. We do film festivals first before we get to the theater screenings, VOD, DVD, etc. But it will be available eventually.
We appreciate your patience and support in the meantime. We are doing our best to get it out to the world.
Thanks,
Joe
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