A student-produced documentary about slain United Nations armed group expert and peacebuilder MJ Sharp 鈥�05 will premiere at 黑料正能量 in April. “No Longer Theory” focuses on Sharp and his coworker Zaida Catal谩n, who were murdered while working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2017.
The 50-minute documentary will have a pre-premier screening during the Academic and Creative Excellence Festival on Wednesday, April 17, at 4 p.m. in 黑料正能量鈥檚 Mainstage Theater.聽
The official premiere will be on Friday, May 3 at 7 p.m., also in MainStage Theater.
The five co-producers, all senior digital media majors, include Toni Doss, Christy Kauffman, Missy Muterspaugh, Kieran O鈥橪eary and Riley Swartzendruber. Seniors Luke Mullet composed the music and Paul Johnson created animations and visual effects. 聽
The title refers to MJ鈥檚 father鈥檚 observation that it should not be surprising when peacebuilders are killed in their work. The murder of MJ proved that this isn鈥檛 just a hypothetical danger; it鈥檚 a real possibility.
Sharp and Catal谩n have been the focus of ongoing media coverage 鈥� including this 鈥� and an awareness-raising rallying cry about the DRC. As one student co-producer said, 鈥淭he story does not end with their deaths, but should inspire more peacebuilders to continue the journey.鈥�
A big picture
The 鈥渏ourney鈥� metaphor has become a literal part of how the 黑料正能量 community is responding to Sharp鈥檚 legacy. In March,聽Kauffman and Swartzendruber were the MJ Dream Hike 鈥� to summit Kilimanjaro in Tanzania 鈥� which raised funds for the Michael J. Sharp Endowed Peace and Justice Scholarship. The fund provides support for a graduate student enrolled at 黑料正能量鈥檚 Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, with priority given to those from the DRC.
The trek has gained the support of former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, and Nobel laureates Dr. Dennis Mukwege and Leymah Gbowee, as well as activist and actor Jane Fonda, among others.
鈥淚 have ceased to be surprised by the power of MJ鈥檚 story to move and inspire people,鈥� said John Sharp, MJ鈥檚 father.
David M. Nyiringabo, the first beneficiary of the scholarship fund, said that although he never met Sharp, his life and passion are a challenge to the people of the DRC.
鈥淎s a Congolese, I should live a life that honors his life and his sacrifices,鈥� Nyiringabo said. 鈥淗e gave his life for us, and for people he didn鈥檛 know. If foreigners can take risks, what about us? What about me? I have relatives in Congo, and am hoping that one day my grandchildren will live in Congo. Why should I keep quiet?鈥�
鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 just walk away鈥�
“No Longer Theory“ began as a digital media production class project in the spring of 2018, but proved 鈥渂igger than a single semester class,鈥� said Muterspaugh: 鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 just walk away.鈥�
It was finished through independent studies that, though they lasted into the spring 2019 semester, continued to hold a sense of urgency for the students.
鈥淢J and Zaida鈥檚 story should be shared with others to make them aware of everything that鈥檚 going on in the world,鈥� said Doss. 鈥淚 just wanted to provide an accurate insight into what their lives were like before 鈥� and their motive of genuinely wanting to help others.鈥�
In their research, the students, all seniors, found a new layer of Catal谩n鈥檚 story 鈥渢hat no one else seemed to be telling,鈥� Muterspaugh said. 鈥淢y hope is that we successfully tell her story in parallel with MJ鈥檚.鈥�
鈥淭he documentary is a way to bring light onto the conflicts and issues present in the DRC and could help motivate people to want to do something to help,鈥� said O鈥橪eary. 鈥淚t gives both MJ and Zaida鈥檚 lives a way to keep impacting the world and pushing forward the need to help other people, whether it be in the DRC or other places dealing with similar issues.鈥�
The five co-producers were each involved in nearly every aspect of making the documentary over the course of its development, with two additional students assuming more focused roles.
鈥淚t has taken an immense amount of emotional energy to immerse myself in the story of this film,鈥� said Mullet. 鈥淚t has challenged me to live life in more radical service and care for others, and made me think deeply about how parents are affected by the death of their children.鈥�
鈥淗opefully viewers will better understand the complexity in the world of peace-building,鈥� said Johnson. 鈥淭here are so many different kinds of people with all kinds of agendas. The mixing of these agendas on the global stage is an important part of MJ鈥檚 story.鈥�
That story has always felt present for Kauffman, who was a student in a Hesston College class on peace and justice taught by MJ鈥檚 father when Sharp disappeared.
鈥淓ven though I never met MJ, I am definitely influenced by his life,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 hope that telling his story through the documentary will have the same effect on many others.鈥�
The film is 鈥渁 bridge for people to be aware of the issues in the Congo,鈥� said Swartzendruber. 鈥淲e hope that the audience will gain an understanding of the kind of people MJ and Zaida were, but also see that this is about much more than them.鈥�