Ema's Adventures

what a good movie can trigger

I could never relate to Africa, the problems, the conflicts the suffering. I remember the first time I opened the box with images from the famin in Somalia and Ethiopia while working in Magnum. I have heard about it I knew exactly where this box is but never wanted to look at the photographs just from human fear, the same fear that make us turn the newspaper or the magazine on our breakfast table to the next page when we see something that just doesn't fit with our perfect life.
I remember how much this images influenced me and still how they didn't manage to make me understand the whole suffering. In my selfish way coming from the nightmare of the communism in Bulgaria where one word against the regime could put you in a concentration camp, where the orphaned children are so many and living in such poor conditions, where everything inside was rotten but outside we had to show that there is no better place to live in. Coming from this perspective, the poverty and the suffering in my country I felt like I need to help there and that the world gives so much to so many of the African countries but ignores us the leftovers of the communist regime.

I saw a movie yesterday called "Blood Diamond". Most of you have probably seen it. I knew very well about the conflict in Sierra Leone but it felt as if for first time I could really feel how tragic, how unbelievably painful the issues there are. I wish one day I have the ability to help, to make a difference. The character of the main actress in this movie reminded me of what I wanted to be, all I wanted when I started to do photography is be like her, take photos and try to make a difference, try to make you pick up the newspaper see the image on the front page and not turn the page but relate to it, make you help. It is never too late isn't it?

posted by Ema @ 10:16 AM