Film Club: ‘A Ship From Guantánamo.’ - The New York Times

Moath al-Alwi has been imprisoned for nearly two decades. An Op-Doc video shows how making art is his escape. How can art give us purpose and meaning?

Video player loading — Moath al-Alwi has never been charged with a crime, but has spent over 19 years at the U.S. military detention camp in Cuba. In a new short film, see the art he makes to survive.Dara Kell and Veena Rao

Moath al-Alwi has never been charged with a crime, but he has spent over 19 years at the U.S. military detention camp in Cuba. “A Ship From Guantánamo,” a six and a half-minute Op-Doc video, tells the story of the art he makes to survive — and escape.

Despite the limited materials available within the prison, Mr. al Alwi builds elaborately detailed ships out of found materials like dental floss, prayer beads, sponges and old T-shirts, often given to him from other inmates and even guards. “I want people to know that we can make beautiful things,” says Mr. al-Alwi, “even in a place like Guantánamo.”

What does the film tell us about the power of art — and the human spirit? How can art and creativity help us to survive, even in prison?

Students

1. Watch the short film above. While you watch, you might take notes using our Film Club Double-Entry Journal (PDF) to help you remember specific moments.

2. After watching, think about these questions:

What moments in this film stood out for you? Why?

Were there any surprises? Anything that challenged what you know — or thought you knew?

What messages, emotions or ideas will you take away from this film? Why?

What questions do you still have?
What connections can you make between this film and your own life or experience? Why? Does this film remind you of anything else you’ve read or seen? If so, how and why?

3. An additional challenge | Respond to the essential question at the top of this post: How can art give us purpose and meaning?

4. Next, join the conversation by clicking on the comment button and posting in the box that opens on the right. (Students 13 and older are invited to comment, although teachers of younger students are welcome to post what their students have to say.)

5. After you have posted, try reading back to see what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting another comment. Use the “Reply” button or the @ symbol to address that student directly.

6. To learn more, read “He Is Imprisoned at Guantánamo. Making Art Is His Escape.” Dara Kell and Veena Rao, the filmmakers, write:

We first came across Moath al-Alwi’s artwork when we heard about an exhibition at John Jay College of Criminal Justice titled “Ode to the Sea,” which featured works made by current and former detainees at Guantánamo Bay. When we saw Mr. al-Alwi’s model ships, we were struck by how stunningly detailed they were, especially given the limited materials available within the prison.

We learned that Mr. al-Alwi works largely with found materials, often asking other inmates and even guards for various objects he can transform into elements of his art. He told us that he sometimes works for two days straight without sleep, determined to follow through on his vision. Raised in Saudi Arabia, Mr. al-Alwi has been in prison for nearly half his life; he says that when he is making art, he forgets that he’s still there.

After the opening of the show at John Jay, the Pentagon halted artwork made by prisoners from leaving Guantánamo Bay. The fact that Mr. al-Alwi is no longer able to share his work is one of the reasons we wanted to make this film; as independent documentary filmmakers, we know that the power of our work is fully realized only when we can share it with an audience.

Next year will be the 20th anniversary of the opening of the prison, and Mr. al-Alwi will have been there for 20 years. Through the process of making this film, we have grown to feel that we know him as an artistic collaborator, even though we have never been allowed to meet or speak with him directly. In the short documentary above, Mr. al-Alwi discusses his creative process and the importance of being able to share his work with the world.

Want more student-friendly videos? Visit our Film Club column.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Adblock test (Why?)