Lecture: Alan Berliner

Alan Berliner's lecture was by far, one of the best lectures of this year. In comparison to some of the other filmmakers we've seen, like Su Friedrich, I felt it was great for Berliner to show a full length film and not just clips. I remember being frustrated with Friedrich's lecture because she talked and talked and only showed 3-5 minutes of her films. The clips were very enticing, but of course, none of her films are available to purchase, rent, or watch.
Nobody's Business was INCREDIBLE. It was hilarious and touching - I had to stop myself from laughing for too long and from crying too hard. Berliner's father is such a dynamic and interesting character, but also relatable to many people in different ways. While watching the film, I felt like I was watching a something about my own extended family.
In my documentary class, I have decided to do a project based on my family heritage, specifically focusing on my Moms side of the family and my Nana. Her parents were Jewish immigrants from Lithuania who, similarly like Berliners family, chose to raise their family in Brooklyn, N.Y. I was originally hesitant to do a documentary project so personal because of the stigma that comes with projects about family - I feel that in all cases where a student does something so personal, others have a difficult time critiquing it because they are afraid of hurting the artists feelings, and some artists have a hard time disconnecting themselves from their projects, which we have all seen many time...
Watching Nobody's Business completely justified my need to do this project about my history. I have recently been reading a book by John Demos called Past, Present, and Personal, which talks a lot about immigrants coming to America and the "central tendency" that “any immigrant to the U.S. would eventually gravitate to the center of U.S. society by adopting its culture and value.”
I believe my family is a prime example of this. When my Nana was young, her parents raised her Orthodox Jewish. My Nana chose to raise her children under a less strict faith, and my Mother even less. My immediate family does not celebrate any Jewish holidays - we, like many many other non-religious Americans, celebrate Christmas, just because that's what you do as an American.
I continually struggle with knowing that my family history contains a lot of culture and tradition that I know nothing about. My whiteness readings have given me a great understanding of what it means to be white, but at the same time, have made me feel cultureless. Whites (and I can't remember where I got this from in my readings) traditionally have a cultural history based off of the domination of others. To be white is to be privileged, powerful, and the majority. That to me, is white American culture and gives me no sense of identity or understanding of who I am. It's always a weird moment when someone asks me if I am Jewish and I say "yes?" because traditionally I am, because my mother is, but technically I'm not, because I was not raised that way.
I want to be able to relate to my Jewish roots, but at the same time not be Jewish? I am not religious by any means, and at this point in my life, do not want to attach myself to any one faith. But I think being Jewish is more than a religion, it is a culture and even sometimes considered a race. Berliner's film justified my project and made me not want to miss my opportunity to get to know my Nana better.