7 Questions with Director Matthew Van Dyke

Today let’s get to know director Matthew Van Dyke,the filmmaker of the short documentary NOT ANYMORE: A STORY OF REVOLUTION. http://www.syrianrevolutionfilm.com/

Watch the short film here:

And the audience feedback moderation video from the WILDsound Film Festival:

Read the 7 Questions with Matthew Van Dyke

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I spent four years (2007-2010) traveling in North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia by motorcycle. During this time I made friends in many countries, including in Libya, and in 2011 joined the Libyan Revolution as a rebel fighter against the regime of Muammar Gaddafi to help my Libyan friends in their struggle for freedom. I was wounded and captured by Gaddafi’s forces, and spent nearly six months as a prisoner of war in two of Libya’s most notorious prisons before escaping from prison and returning to combat on the front lines until the end of the war. In 2012 I went to help the Syrian Revolution. Because of the lack of international support for the rebels, I decided to make Not Anymore: A Story of Revolution in an effort to show the world what was happening in Syria and to help build international support for the revolution.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

It took approximately a year from the start of the project to when the film first premiered at a film festival, with around one month filming on the ground in Syria.

3. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Although I faced bombardment, snipers, the threat of kidnapping, and the Syrian government broadcasting on State TV channels that I was a terrorist, the biggest obstacle in making this film was funding. I self-financed the film, and have spent over $30,000 of my own money on making and promoting it.

4. What movie have you seen the most in your life?

At this point, Not Anymore: A Story of Revolution is the movie I have seen most in my life, having watched it through numerous edits and at many film festivals. Other than that, perhaps Alby Mangels’ World Safari.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the Toronto audience talking about your film in the feedback video

? I was very grateful for the feedback video and the audience comments. It was wonderful to hear what the audience thought of the film. Out of the nearly 300 film festivals that have screened Not Anymore: A Story of Revolution, none have ever provided me a feedback video and it was greatly appreciated.

6. What is next for you? A new film?

A documentary film about my experiences fighting in the Libyan Revolution, Point and Shoot, won the Best Documentary Award at Tribeca Film Festival and will be released in around 50 theaters around the country. The film was a collaboration between director Marshall Curry and I, and I am a producer and cinematographer on the film in addition to being the subject of it. Some of the footage I shot for Not Anymore: A Story of Revolution is being used in a feature documentary about the conflict in Syria titled 7 Days in Syria, which I am a producer and cinematographer on. I work as an international security analyst appearing on television and radio networks around the world. I am also continuing my work to assist revolutionaries around the world in various ways, including through action on the ground in various countries. In late 2014, I will be delivering aid to Christian refugees in Iraq who have been forced from their homes by ISIS. My latest projects and updates can be found on my website, http://www.matthewvandyke.com.

7. Besides filmmaking, what else are you passionate about?

Supporting revolutions and the fight for freedom against authoritarianism around the world.