Interview with John J. Michalczyk and Raymond G. Helmick on Through a Lens Darkly: Films of Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, and Atrocities, by John J. Michalczyk and Raymond G. Helmick

Abstract

Michalczyk and Helmick have a particular interest in conflict resolution, and here they combine their expertise to create a well-crafted, informative collection of essays on the role of film in conveying the horrors of genocide and myriad human rights violations over the past two centuries. Whereas many studies of film and genocide focus on the Holocaust and, more recently, Rwanda, Michalczyk and Helmick's collection examines films on Native Americans, Armenians, the Rape of Nanking, Cambodia, the Balkans, the Sudan, and the Congo--as well as the Holocaust and Rwanda. They devote a section of the book to each, providing a broad yet cohesive perspective on this genre. The contributors are international scholars with expertise in diverse areas--philosophy, religion, history, and sociology--along with firsthand knowledge of and experience with genocide; each brings a unique point of view to the study of genocide and film. For example, Ajak Mabior contributes "No Heaven on Earth: Lost Boys of Sudan (2003)" and Willy Moko-Mubelo "Atrocities and Exploitation in the Democratic Republic of Congo." Surprisingly jargon-free, this collection makes an excellent resource for genocide and film studies. Recommended. All readers. Choice Review.