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Barbara Ettinger’s Shortlist

Published on January 20, 2010

The Shortlist article series is your opportunity to learn about the films that inspire intellectual, artistic and activist leaders—leaders like Barbara Ettinger. We asked Barbara to share her favorite films and her thoughts on the power of documentary to change the world.

So what films make Barbara Ettinger’s Shortlist? Keep reading to find out.

Who is Barbara Ettinger

Barbara EttingerBarbara Ettinger

Barbara Ettinger is a documentary filmmaker and producer for Niijii Films. 

She worked as a still photographer for many years, specializing in the theater arts and environmental portraits.

Barbara became intrigued with film making after completing a body of work depicting the life of the woman who raised her, Ethel. She recognized the strength of Ethel’s storytelling and wanted to provide a forum for her voice.

After journeying to Sundance in 1990 to learn more about the film making world, Barbara & her friend Jyll Johnstone teamed up and spent the next five years making Martha and Ethel which premiered at Sundance in 1995 and then was purchased by Sony Pictures Classics. 

Barbara and her husband, Sven Huseby collaborated on their next feature, an environmental documentary Two Square Miles, which aired on PBS in 2006. Soon after they read Elizabeth Kolbert’s “The Darkening Sea” in The New Yorker.  Barbara couldn’t get the article out of her mind and found it frightening how few had heard of ocean acidification.  As a result, she set to work on the first documentary on ocean acidification, with the dream of playing a role in affecting public policy around CO2 issues. 

Her film A Sea Change was completed in February, 2009.  Barbara and Sven have been using the film as a discussion tool at colleges, research centers, festivals and other venues ever since. 

Barbara Ettinger on the Power of Film

Documentary filmmaking provides an opportunity to make a compelling story about an issue of significance.  In that way, a broad audience can engage emotionally and intellectually in a set of issues that might be new to them, but to which they are profoundly linked.  As a tool, documentaries encourage people to think, and act.  Flow, for the Love of Water is a perfect example of being moved into action. After seeing it I removed every trace of bottled water in my house, purchased a simple filtering system, and have never, ever, bought another bottle of water. 

One of the joys of being a filmmaker is to engage after a screening with the audience.  The conversations are frequently powerful exchanges of ideas and information, and a time to link arms with new advocates.  Looking back at other documentaries I have seen, I was especially moved by When We Were Kings, A Brief History of Time, and Flow, for the Love of Water.

Barbara Ettinger’s Picks

Night and Fog: This film taught me the importance of giving testimony to the evil horrors of what mankind has the capacity to do.  I saw it over thirty years ago and it is still fresh in my mind. 


Capturing the Friedmans: A bizarre and tragic family tale that came about by accident.  You never know what is going to happen if you just keep the camera rolling.

 

 

 


A Brief History of Time: Did you ever think you could be engaged in a conversation about the origins of the Universe?!


Grey Gardens: Haunting portrait, painfully intimate.

 

 

 

 

The War Room: A great primer for the inner mechanisms of our election process.


Nanook of the North: When I saw this film for the first time, it overwhelmed me with the power of its simple story.  It was a direct demonstration of less is more.

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With plenty of interest to do documentaries. I will love to know more how i can be part of a new project. I come from Cameroon, in West Africa and have short in a documentary made on Mt. Cameroon and will like to be part in many more. I am a professional camera Operator and i work for the University of Buea, Cameroon.

Posted on 2010 02 19 by Gobina Simon Mbwange

good i want make a docmentary but i have not yet any producer

Posted on 2010 02 20 by pavan dilip kumavat