Twenty Years

Today is the twentieth anniversary of the invasion of Kuwait. To honour the occasion, I'd like to unveil a painting by my friend Ben Rathbone, inspired by the story of To Rest in Peace.

The painting was conceived as part of the promotional materials for To Rest in Peace, hearkening back to the painted movie posters of old epics, like Lawrence of Arabia. It has evolved into something so much more — a work of art in its own right.

You can find more of Ben's work on his website, http://www.480bc.com.

It's strange to reflect on the passage of time, and realize that twenty years mean an entire new generation of Kuwaitis has grown up without a memory of the occupation. I was eight, but I remember it vividly. And it's been an enlightening journey, to recreate this moment in history, and hear the memories it conjures up for those who lived through it.

My hope beyond To Rest in Peace is to document some of those memories, from the frightening, to the tragic, to even the absurd. We taped two interviews while filming in Kuwait last January, and these will be the start of such a project.

Until then, To Rest in Peace is waiting for its chance to premier, and I will keep you informed of its progress. We start hearing back from festivals in August!

Lighting Up The Night Sky

There it is, in all its glory. That beautiful light balloon.

There was some contention about whether or not to get the light balloon. Even after Josh got us a good deal, it was stretching our budget. But it was one of the best decisions we made.

The reference I gave Sean for the look of the final burial scene was Caspar David Friedrich's Man and Woman Gazing at the Moon. It has a soft, ethereal glow, the feeling of a solemn nighttime contemplation. That is exactly what the light balloon gave us. And the footage is beautiful.