I am a student in the Documentary Institute. Jon Bougher and Roman Safiullin are my classmates. I want to echo my professor Churchill Roberts’ words that the university should be embarrassed over the controversy that has risen around Bougher and Safiullin’s thesis film.
I just wanted to clarify that the two went back to Haiti after the earthquake mainly for two reasons: to finish their film, and because, I believe, after having spent nearly a year documenting the good people at Planting Peace, they felt an obligation not to abandon them at such a crucial time. It might be difficult for people not familiar with documentary filmmaking to understand, but Bougher and Safiullin needed to return to Haiti to complete their documentation of this story. As I understand it, the film is not about the earthquake. It is about a charitable organization trying to go great things in an impoverished country.
The earthquake hit. That happened. They were there when it happened. The earthquake has permanently changed the lives of not only the Haitian people, but also the activists whom Bougher and Safiullin are profiling. So the film cannot ignore this event. They need closure on this story, and trust me when I say they absolutely would not have been able to get it without returning to Haiti.
I understand that the travel ban was put in place for a reason. But I also know that they made their decision to return after much contemplation. They returned using private funds and private equipment. They absolutely did not did go back to Haiti to defy or insult the university in any way. UF should be proud of these students. Instead they are putting them through the wringer.
UF provost Joe Glover’s claim that Bougher and Safiullin went back to get “juicy footage” shows just how out of touch the university is with the Documentary Institute. But that’s another story. I can tell you for sure as their classmate and friend that they were not licking their chops and rubbing their palms after the
earthquake. Their project is not exploitative. They are dedicated and talented journalists and filmmakers. And as such, they feel a responsibility to stand by the commitment they’ve made. UF could learn from them.
