For documentary filmmaker Marc Levin, ignorance isn’t
quite bliss. It’s inspiration.
Shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Levin stepped into
a cab in New York City where, to his surprise, the driver revealed
his steadfast belief that the Jews were in part, or even entirely,
responsible for the attacks that September.
According to the rumors, 4,000 Jews were told not to show up to
work that day.
“I had just heard fragments of these rumors ““ at the
deli, at the newsstand,” Levin explained.
“When I heard this young Egyptian cab driver repeating
that, I just couldn’t believe it. I figured the kid was
pretty hip, and I just couldn’t understand.”
Levin, a Jew himself, listened, aghast, as the driver proceeded
to explain how the attacks could be traced back to a century-old
book, “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” claimed to
be the Jews’ master plan to rule the world.
“I said, “˜My great grandfather was at the
meeting,'” cried Levin, whose sarcasm went
unnoticed.
After sitting in a coffee shop talking to the driver about his
life in Egypt, Levin drew his own conclusion. “Every time he
bought a rap CD they would beat him up. Finally he couldn’t
take it ““ he left his own country. He himself was a victim of
religious fanaticism.”
In the spirit of the true documentary filmmaker, a film
ensued.
“The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” Levin’s
newest and most personal documentary, premiered at Sundance and
screens tonight, courtesy of Melnitz Movies, at 7:30 p.m. in
McGowan’s Little Theater, with free tickets and directions
available at the James Bridges box office.
The film explores and disputes rumors associated with the
century-old book and approaches the broader question of fighting
hate. Struck by the cab driver’s ideas, Levin set out to find
the origins of beliefs like these in others.
“It was kind of like, “˜What’s going on
here?'” Levin said. “We woke up on 9/11, and all
of a sudden we are back in a world where faith has hijacked
history. None of us are safe.”
Using TV footage from two Egyptian series about the book, aired
on the nights of Ramadan, Levin discovered the extent of the
conspiracy theories.
“When I saw these TV series I was just stunned. But this
was real. So I said, “˜Who are we hiding this from?’
There are hundreds of millions people watching this stuff and
believing it,” he said.
The filmmaker discovered that most Jews and most other Americans
had not heard of “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,”
nor had they ever wanted to.
“People said, “˜You should bury that
book,'” he said.
Instead, Levin dug up the book, which was translated into
English and brought to America in 1920 under the sponsorship of
Henry Ford. Levin found it was sold at locales ranging from Aryan
societies to the streets of Manhattan.
Speaking to Americans of all religions and ethnicities,
integrating the opening of “The Passion of the Christ,”
and taking excerpts from the original book, the film works to
utilize current and past events to expose a hatred Levin feels is
bred by ignorance.
“How do you fight that hate? That is the big question. I
hope the film provokes discussion amongst all different groups to
try to answer that question. But it’s not a simple answer
““ it’s one we are going to be talking about for
years.”
In uncovering broader social issues, Levin also used the film as
a personal discovery. Though he did not intend to make the film a
personally linked piece, he narrates and stars in
“Protocols.”
The film also explores the relationship between Levin and his
father, who grew up exposed to the anti-Semitism from which Levin
himself has been sheltered, as an emotional balance to the hatred
the film explores.
However, this film is not only a heavy-hitting document of
social injustice, it is a surprisingly entertaining look at
absurdity.
“People realize that nonfiction films are as entertaining
as so-called “˜pure entertainment.’ The question is how
to make it informative and provocative as well. I don’t think
they’re mutually exclusive,” he said.
Despite the frequently somber subject matter, the film is
visually pleasing, fast-paced and employs humor ““ sometimes
pathetic, but usually satirical.
“For the younger audience, humor is essential. Absurdity
is everywhere. Humor is one of the greatest weapons,” Levin
said.
Much of this humor stems from the use of the often-criticized
random man on the street, as Levin simply finds and tapes
discussions with people along the streets of New York and Los
Angeles.
“That’s how the film was incited ““ with men on
the street,” he said. “I originally intended to have no
talking heads behinds desks. Who are these people and what do they
know? Just because they are an expert, does not mean their opinion
is any more right or authentic.
“The whole idea is to take this discussion out of the
classroom and the Sunday morning talk shows and make this a
discussion everyone on every street corner should be having. Why
can’t we talk about hate?” Levin asked. “I wanted
young people to feel like, “˜Hey, I take part in this
conversation.'”