Search - I Know I'm Not Alone on DVD

Franti Bridges Cultural Gaps

Julia Wells | Sherman Oaks, CA USA | 07/16/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Franti does a great job at dispelling several commonly held beliefs about inbred hatred and injustice, at the same time giving a voice to people we don't ever see on the American news. Whether Muslim or Jew, Iraqi or American, we all fundamentally want peace for our families--and because this message doesn't serve corporate America and its warmongerers, the mainstream media doesn't bother to investigate it. Franti goes in with a guitar and a camera and reveals the humanity behind the opposing ideologies surrounding this delicate issue. Some moments in the film have the feeling of being overly precious, but this does not detract from the movie's moving message."

He's not alone

The Delite Rancher | Phoenix, Arizona | 03/12/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I watched "I Know I'm Not Alone" with low expectations. Not being a fan of Michael Franti, I never would have watched the film without reading the alternative press' glowing reviews. The Middle East holds heavy quandaries. I thought that such issues are unlikely to be given justice when depicted by some rock 'n' roller. I could not have been more wrong and I now believe that the world needs more Franti. In this documentary, the director travels in Iraq, Palestine and Israel to show the human side of conflict. So what does a rocker turned film maker do in such political hot spots? Michael Franti simply mingles with ordinary folks. Through his conversations, the audience finds a new appreciation of the people we hear about on the nightly news. While most in the West are intellectually familiar with Iraq and the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, few of us know about it personally. Michael Franti changes this as he talks to families, musicians, soldiers, teachers, teenagers and children. Through charisma, humor, music and sincerity, the boundaries that separate us are melted in a way that could only be intermediated through Franti. Aside from being powerful and emotionally encouraging, "I Know I'm Not Alone" is a well crafted film. While the camera work is intentionally low-fi, the movie is well edited. The symbiotic relationship between the images and custom performed soundtrack is award worthy. While 'under the radar' for most, "I Know I'm Not Alone" is essential viewing for anybody interested in the great conflicts of the Middle East."

5 stars (not 3)!!! Accessible to all, shows both sides, pro

K. Kroger | 08/04/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"We just showed the part of this film on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to about 50 high school students, and they were riveted. What is different about this film is that the director Michael Franti's main concern is with the question of peace. He goes about it by interviewing people on both sides of the conflict in a natural setting - Israeli soldiers on the border, Palestinians kept from their land by the wall, Israelis who were witnesses of a sucide attack, Palestinian children forced out of their homes in the middle of the night, Israeli peace activists, an Israeli ex-soldier, Palestinian and Israelis who have lost children through the fighting, a Palestinian hiphop group, a Palestinian teenager from a refugee camp, etc. Franti engages people in dialogue, plays music with them, portraying the anguish and unmet needs for peace and security of those on both sides.
The film leaves you with a much greater appreciation of the human side of this conflict and a feeling of optimism that peace might be possible if people were able to stop demonizing each other, to initiate dialogue, and - a big if - to make their voices heard over the politicians.
Franti also includes a brief overview of the history of the conflict with an animated map at the beginning of the film.
I'm ordering numerous copies of this for friends and the school where I work. It's great for discussions and shows things that the U.S. media never shows."

Bittersweet

T. Valle | The Beach | 08/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This film was so heartfelt, told by the people who live in Palestine, Bagdad and Israel....how it feels to live in an occupied state - the poverty, the fear, violence and heartbreak - moving in the sense that in the midst of all the chaos, humanity and joy somehow prevails...with Franti's music as a backdrop. On a further note, the true social irresponsibility falls on the shoulders of our right wing media and the lies we're sold on the television every night. Michael Franti is not afraid to show us a glimpse of the truth."