Give Up Tomorrow at the Port Jefferson Documentary Series

Perhaps triggered by the recent execution of Troy Davis in Georgia or the audience response during one of the Republican debates, 80 people showed up at the Charles B. Wang Center at Stony Brook University for a showing of Give Up Tomorrow. This movie, fourth in the Fall Documentary Series presented by the Greater Port Jefferson Northern Brookhaven Arts Council, was shown on Monday, Oct. 3.

The movie documents a Kafkaesque story of a murder, arrest, trial and eventual sentencing to death, of 6 young men in the Philippines. The saga started in 1997 and continues today. Blogger, BBORROUGHS on Unseen Films, describes the film in a great and very understandable way.

The shepherd for the evening was Lyn Boland, who is also a co-director of the film series. The guest speakers were Michael Collins, the film's director and Marty Syjuco, the producer.

I asked Boland how she had found Give Up Tomorrow.

"I did not have a lot of advance warning about Give Up Tomorrow," said Boland. "It was on my list of 20 docs to see at Tribeca last spring and I might easily have missed it. Fortunately, my schedule led me to it and I was mesmerized."

The story grabbed Boland.

"The film does what a documentary is supposed to do: tells a story that need to be told, to expand our world view and this film does it in a completely absorbing way," she said. "It is a work of incredible caring and authenticity, and the filmmakers followed the subject for ten years. At the end of the movie, the Tribeca audience gave the film a standing ovation, which doesn't happen often, and the film went on to win the audience award for Best Documentary."

Continuing, Lyn added, "After the screening, I walked up to Michael Collins, the director, who will be at our screening and I was still crying. But I managed to get across that I really wanted this film for our series. I followed up with Michael for months until he could figure out a way to make it out to Long Island and I am thrilled to be able to show Give Up Tomorrow."

After the program I had asked Michael Collins for a few comments.

"Thank you so much for inviting us to be a part of such a wonderful series," he said. "It was truly an honor for us to share the film with such a passionate audience - we got questions last night that we've never heard before. And we were overwhelmed by the kindness and enthusiasm from all of you."

I agree, the program was also mesmerizing for me and for the audience. I highly recommend seeing it if you have the opportunity.

The next program on Monday Oct. 17 at 7 p.m., is Wo Ai Ni (I love you) Mommy will also be at the Charles B. Wang Center at Stony Brook University