The Journey

Oneofthemostsignificantfilmmakersofhisgeneration,PeterWatkinshasmadecompassionate,uncompromisingfilmsandvideosthatchallengenotonlyconventionalstylesandtechniquesbutalsonotionsofhistoryandthemedia.Theever-timelyTheJourney:AFilmforPeace,madebetween1984and1987,isapioneeringattemptatafullyinternationalcinema.WatkinsworkedwithsupportgroupsaroundtheworldtoraisemoneyandassemblecrewswhileshootingthefilmintheUnitedStates,Canada,Norway,Scotland,France,WestGermany,Mozambique,Japan,Australia,Tahiti,andMexico.Hespenteighteenmonthseditingthemorethan100hoursoffootagehecompiled,weavingtogetherextendedfamilyinterviews,documentationoftheglobalarmsrace,recollectionsofsurvivorsofthebombingsinHiroshima,Nagasaki,andHamburg,communitypsychodramasofpossibledisasterscenarios,andworksbyotherartists.Thefilmismonumentalbothinitscritiqueandanalysisandinitsefforttoinspireandoccasionnewwaysofusinginformationandthemedia.