JOANNA KOHLER
Spring 2004 IDIM graduate with major entitled Social Documentary. Her IDIM combined course work in cultural studies, media studies, and the study of non-dominant communities.
WHAT SHE'S DOING NOW…
I premiered a documentary called Moving in a Mirror - From Outrage to Activism in West Jerusalem about an Israeli peace activist shot in Jerusalem at the Minneapolis - St. Paul International Film Festival April 2005. For more information on the film and its reception at a Women against Military Madness event, check out: http://www.stjoan.com/er5/mirror/mirror.htm
This fall, I have been working on postproduction for my newest film called BOXERS. Check out the website at: www.BOXERSdocumentary.com
I have also been active in a state-wide motorcycle tour with Moving in a Mirror - From Outrage to Activism in West Jerusalem and facilitating conversations about activism.
HER THOUGHTS ON IDIM…
An IDIM degree gave me a chance to study cultures across communities. My degree provided access to conceptual ideas around power and communication. From this access, I developed an academic language for expressing these ideas. This
skill is useful when entering communities I don't belong to and for
articulating the importance of the documentaries I direct and produce.
The systems I want to impact can not just be changed with a film. An articulate argument for those running these systems has to be well made.
Naming my own degree gives employers a quick reference for my passions and studies. "Social Documentary" quickly names my professional focus.
ADVICE…
Study with professors when possible. Studying
outside of a formal degree program can give you freedoms, but it can
also allow you to miss the essential building blocks for understanding
all of your areas of study well.
