“That first time I went there was really heavy. It was emotionally heavy and I felt so confused, and I did feel like I had to do something, but I wasn’t able to process it all very quickly. I wasn’t mature enough as a filmmaker to deal with it, and I wasn’t mature enough as a person I don’t think… so I kept going back.” — Jeff Silva
On one of Boston’s first beautiful spring days of 2015, I had the opportunity to meet with artist, filmmaker, and my former professor, Jeff Silva, to discuss his film, Balkan Rhapsodies: 78 Measures of War. Jeff had been working on his latest project in a dark edit room all day, and my visit was a good excuse for a breath of fresh air. We ventured to a park near his house to talk, so please forgive noises from the outside world!
Having studied under Jeff, I know his style of critique and have heard his thoughts about others’ films. We’ve had terrific and thoughtful discussions in class, but this was my chance to pick his brain about one of his own films, and one that had a strong impact on me. Jeff began filming Balkan Rhapsodies in 1999 and finished in 2008, and after nearly a decade of filming in the Balkans during a time of conflict and uncertainty, I was eager to hear about his experiences.
— Harris Khan, DER intern
