Cynematik • Cyndi Greening

Valentine’s Day is upon us and everyone is thinking of love and loved ones. I am, of course, included in everyone. So, I too am thinking about all of those I have loved and those who love me. These thoughts have been exacerbated because we’re working on the documentary and we’re focused on the narrative throughline of the film. Love as a motivating factor for the Zambian films was the topic of our discussion today. Love of filmmaking, love of students, love of contributing, love of learning. The tight bond of the faculty and crew led to love for one another as a major motivating factor everyone.

There is a popular theory that we humans are driven by LOVE or by FEAR. There certainly was the possibility to be driven by fear when were in Zambia. We didn’t know the country we were visiting, didn’t know what we’d be stepping into, didn’t know how things would work out for us. There are recorded sessions prior to our departure that show me warning the students to be cautious. But, once we arrived, the only thing that seemed important was our love of the project and our desire to get it done. It drove us all to the finish line.

One of my favorite film lines ever was spoken by Bette Midler in Janice Joplin biopic THE ROSE. “Don’t you love to be in love?” she asks her manager. “I love to be in love.” She says it so wistfully, so earnestly, so passionately. Whenever I watch that film, I am struck by what a driving force love is for human beings. And, I am aware of what a driving force love has been for me. The Zambia films taught me that the shift from motivation by the object of one’s affection to motivation as the subject of one’s love makes all the difference in the world. It drives the toads away. It makes all things possible.

As the Beatles sang, “All you need is love. Love is all you need.”