FILM INTERVIEW: GERALD KRELL

Auteur Productions' Gerald Krell introduced his documentary on eastern religions to the world last week, as his trilogy piece entitled The Asian and Abrahamic Religions: A Divine Encounter in America aired on Los Angeles’ KCET last weekend. An official selection of the Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival, Krell’s three-part documentary series delves into the finer nuances that both distinguish and connect the Abrahamic religions and the practices and rituals of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

 

Mr. Krell spoke with Buzzine Bollywood’s Neha Sarin-Malhotra about his documentary, his background, and his career. Below is the conversation:

 

Neha Sarin-Malhotra: What is your background like? How did you get into film-making?

 

Gerald Krell: I attended and received my Masters degree from the UCLA Film School. After graduation, I applied and was hired to come to Washington in the Kennedy years to make documentaries for the United States Information Agency Motion Picture and Television Services, headed by Edward R. Murrow and George Stevens, Jr., who later founded the American Film Institute. I eventually traveled to over 50 countries making documentaries ranging from community development and aid projects in South America and Africa, to crimes against humanity about the war crimes atrocities in former Yugoslavia. It was an amazingly gratifying experience, combining my filmmaking with the public diplomacy objectives of my country. It helped me immensely to grow as a filmmaker and, what’s more important, to grow as a human being by learning to appreciate and respect the unbelievable hardships the people who were in my films faced but, in spite of that, were determined to achieve a better life.

 

NSM: How did this idea to come you? 

 

GK: When I made Three Faiths to One God (second part in the trilogy), I had a premiere screening in Washington and a panel discussion afterwards. A gentleman, who used to be with the World Bank and a consultant on the film (former president of Inter Faith Counsel of Washington D.C.), said, "Would you have an interest in making films on the Asian religions?" I said, "Yes," and he said, "We would love for you to do it." Making a documentary is about correcting misconceptions and stereotypes. He likes the fact that I'm not Hindu and could bring a fresh perspective to the subject. I'm not a religious person, and I do my homework, and I'm objective in terms of the way I look at the film. The people that are in this film are really the very best in the interfaith field. I agreed to take on this project, and it's been three years that I have worked on this film. 

 

NSM: You must have filmed the whole 200 priests coming down to the temple...

 

GK: Precisely, yes. There was a fire, and then they went through their recitation and the singing. It was amazing to see that. Then we also covered the Sita Rama festival and marriage. At the Marriott hotel, we covered a marriage where a Catholic woman married a Hindu man, and he arrived on horseback for the wedding, and when we inter-cut the wedding with the festival -- juxtaposed. We tried to show the Rama Sita marriage festival in conjunction to the Hindu wedding, and correlate the two back and forth with editing. We would show the 200 priests practically -- the ritual in front of the fire -- and then we would inter-cut it with the bride and groom marching around the fire. There were many things in the festival that correlate with the wedding ceremony, and we captured it on film.

 

NSM: Did you learn more or change perspectives?

 

GK: Asian religion has been growing on American soil since the beginning, and over time, Asian religious practices have begun to influence and transform everyday life for ordinary Americans who discovered yoga, meditation, martial arts, and healing. Most people think the Asians arrived in the '60s and '70s, but they were there since the beginning, and we trace that in the film. It's probably the most difficult film I've made, since I was juggling six religions and how to carry it off. I had to alternate between different religions. The westerners tend to dump all the religions together, but there are similarities and differences between them all. Americans tend to stereotype and think there is no difference between a Hindu, Sikh, or a Buddhist. This is the kind of thing we are trying to have American people understand. I believe the film is a catalyst for dialogue. 

 

NSM: What fascinates you about religion?

 

GK: What fascinates me about religion is the historical religious conflicts that impact peoples lives today the world over.  As a documentarian, I am dedicated to examining the similarities and differences between the world religions, how they perceive each other, confront prejudice and stereotypes in order to tear down barriers to understanding and respect., and I hope my films serve as a catalyst for constructive dialogue for audiences who see my films.

 

NSM: You have chosen a path of documentaries to connect with the audiences. Do we see you making a commercial film at some point?

 

GK: I don't envision it for now. I think there are plenty commercial films in the marketplace, but I must admit it would be a challenge to make a theatrical feature!