I Know I'm Not Alone

Michael Franti
Apr. 26, 2007

Michael Franti, world-renowned musician and human rights worker, travels to Iraq, Palestine and Israel to explore the human cost of war with a group of friends, some video cameras and his guitar.

A compelling soundtrack, visual and musical montages and Franti’s intimate voiceovers make the film speak to the MTV, X, Y & Z generations, as well as the baby-boomers. A true armchair travel film pulling the audience into these war zones in the company of Michael’s guitar, eloquence and wit – you feel the humanity, artistic resilience and sometimes horrific experience of what it’s like to live under the bombs and military occupation.

With its raw video and editing techniques, the documentary is unlike the many academic and politically driven pieces in the marketplace, instead offering the audience a sense of intimate travel and the opportunity to hear the voices of everyday people living, creating and surviving under the harsh conditions of war.

First impressions of Baghdad are the tremendous lack of security, no electricity, no clean water and an immense amount of bombed buildings, Michael and the group are pleasantly surprised as they are welcomed with generosity and kindness by everyone from proud Iraqi families and youth, sick hospital patients to US Occupation Forces all wanting to share their stories and just hear music and take a break from the stress and suffering.

Maher Al-Waheesh, driver and interpreter, provides information about how the war has affected the people, economy, and security of the country. Michael and the group are warned of dangerous security issues in response to Michael's desire to walk the streets and talk to everyday people. Michael insists and they make contact with a Christian Family living in a Muslim neighborhood. The family shares their experiences of life under Saddam's rule as well as the effects of US occupation.

The group visit, Iraqi heavy metal band, 'The Black Scorpions.’ Stories are shared from the musicians' point of view about their lack of freedom of expression, the difficulties of finding musical instruments and accessories, and the challenges facing youth and musicians in Iraq.

An sobering statement from the drummer of the heavy metal band brings it all home – “I spent my life between, like, 4 four wars. I was born in war...I'm real afraid of dying in war. For you guys, like, you got a peaceful country, beautiful nature, everything. I feel like, man, I would offer the rest of my life just to sit next to a lake or something for this, enjoying the fresh air... that's all.”

Next door is an underground tattoo parlor that was forbidden under Saddam's rule. Tom Ballanco, a retired US army Captain and is adventurous enough to endure receiving a tattoo.

Later that evening while talking with on-duty US soldiers in Saddam Hussein square, a bomb explodes. The group are forced to go inside for safety and end up at The Sheraton Hotel with Michael performing a few songs-notably his anti-war piece 'Bomb the World' singing "...you can bomb the world to pieces, but you can't bomb it into peace..." to a tense group of US soldiers in their bar at the top of the hotel.

A visit to an artists and poets hangout, Cafe Hiwar, allows Michael and the group to hear about the oppression of artists, writers, and poets. Here they share music and poetry, with young and old alike. The local artists offer the group a glimpse into the depth and beauty of Arab history and culture, and share personal accounts of the grim consequences suffered by Iraqi artists determined to express themselves creatively

Michael brings together the US soldiers and Iraqi DJ’s with a radio station in Uday Hussein’s old penthouse in the Sheraton Hotel for an impromptu party and DJ session at Hot FM 104.1 – “Iraq’s first independent radio station.” This is the first time the Iraqi’s and US Soldiers have spoken together, let alone party together.

At a hospital in Baghdad, Michael and the group see first hand the devastation brought by years of war, sanctions and most recently, occupation. Michael speaks and sings for the patients in the bomb and cancer wards. The hospitals suffer from a severe lack of medicine as a result of the war which forces amputation of infected limbs due to a lack of anti-biotics.

A travel transition occurs from Iraq to Israel and Palestine.

The group departs Iraq and travel throughout Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Gaza Strip and the West Bank trying to grasp the complicated issue of the occupation, the green line, the security fence and suicide bombers.

Historic information lay the academic groundwork for the difficult situation between the Israelis and Palestinians. Ironically, the overall desire for peace and safety resonates on both sides of the fence as told in various interviews. Moshe, an Israeli musician, says it best - “...Arab and Jewish, we are so close...eating the same food, speaking the same language, we believe in the same God, we have the same father, we have the same mom. The problem is only about the political state.”

The group visits the Palestinian village of Jayyous and speaks to the villagers and Israeli soldiers guarding the security fence dividing the local framers from their lands. An argument breaks out, emotions are high, but Michael convinces the soldiers and villagers to meet later at another part of the fence.

Michael visits the once bombed Cafe Hilel in Jerusalem and talks to ex-Israeli Defense Force Soldiers about their thoughts on the barrier wall and the issue of feeling safe in a cosmopolitan war zone. Footage of the bombing brings home to the viewer the emotional and physical damage Palestinian suicide bombers have bought into the Israeli culture.

Michael speaks with an Ex-IDF Soldier as he explains his duties while stationed in the Gaza Strip. The soldier’s nonchalant descriptions of provocation and intimidation as common military duties is shockingly described as normal but visibly hurtful through his sad eyes. The groups witnesses this first hand when they visit the village of Rafah in Southern Gaza Strip.

In the old city of Jaffa, Michael meets and jams with Sheva, a musical ensemble of Jewish and Arab musicians speaking and singing out for peace. Michael also finds hip hop in Israel in the form of the political hip hop group D.A.M. The group meets up with Tamar of D.A.M and beat boxes his way into a concert and a demonstration for peace in the Israeli ghetto of LUD.

Michael goes into the town of Hebron, where the Israeli military may instill curfew on Palestinian locals at any given time. As Michael walks singing with his guitar through the Hebron market, excited children and teenagers drawn to his music swarm him. Amidst the excitement fueled by the novelty that Michael brings to the children, Michael and children cross into the curfew area where they are shot at by the Israeli military.

Michael meets with Israeli and Palestinian mothers and sisters who are grieving the loss of their loved ones, but have come together for peace and to share the common pain and find ways to forgive each other.

Michael meets with Refuzniks and their parents and talk about the mandatory IDF service. Later, an emotional meeting with grieving Israeli and Palestinian mothers and sisters of war victims states “...it doesn't matter if you're a mother of a soldier or if you're the mother of a suicide bomber...it's the same pain...find a way to forgive and to prevent further death.”

Back in Jayyous, Michael brings the Palestinian farmers and the stationed Israeli Defense Soldiers together again to try and open up and have dialogue on the situation they have to deal with together everyday. More heated conversations happen, but then Michael continues to bridge the gap with his heartfelt charm and wit and finally a common thought and understanding concludes between the two parties and the film’s ultimate statement of humanity and the basic want for peace reaches full circle.