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Daily News
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Sundance Update: Friedmans Captured in Park City
Andrew Jarecki’s documentary about a family torn apart under criminal allegations would not have been possible without video footage shot by the family itself.
Friday, January 24, 2003
By Charlie Brown
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One documentary in competition at this year’s Sundance Film Festival uses the medium of film and video to pry into the life of a family like a sharp scalpel. There is an old smart-ass remark, “Take a picture, it will last longer.” Yet remembering the circumstances around that picture and the exact circumstances that lead to it will trigger some debate. This idea of fallible memory and individual perception is at the core of the Thomas Jarecki documentary Capturing the Friedmans; a film which seems to have captured a great deal of positive buzz during the festival.
The story focuses on a family before and after the arrest of Arnold Friedman, a teacher from Great Neck, Long Island, for possession of child pornography. The subsequent investigation brought about incredible allegations of child abuse, not only by Arnold, but also by his youngest son Jesse. The film examines and investigates the intricacies of the family itself, the modern-day legal system and the community that surrounded both.
As Jarecki explained, the film’s were initially growing in a different documentary. “I started out making a movie about children’s birthday party entertainers in New York City and [oldest son] David [Friedman] is the number one guy,” Jarecki said. “I have this footage of him performing that’s intense, sardonic and sarcastic. Editor Nancy Baker said ‘Every time I watch this tape I ask myself what makes this clown so angry?’”
Eventually, Jarecki got pieces of the story from David himself. Most importantly, the Friedmans had chronicled a great portion of their lives on film and videotape. Some of these tapes were recorded during major events of Arnold’s trial.
When Jarecki wanted to interview Helen, wife and mother of the family, David became increasingly upset.. His relationship with his mother had strained greatly after what his father and brother had gone through. However, when Jarecki did finally get a chance to meet Helen, he had a revelation.
“I finally got a chance to talk to the mother and she says, ‘Visions are distorted,’” the filmmaker recalled.
Indeed, Jarecki sat down and watched all of the tapes with Helen, getting her commentary as they watched. The great horror of the crimes and accusations had an air of disbelief.
“That’s what is so fascinating about the shifting sands of the film, just me as an observer as this thing is going on, it is amazing to me that every one is so smart,” said Jarecki. “This is not some backwoods Appalachian family. This is a successful Jewish family. And yet, there are all these smart people and no one can agree on anything. So the information doesn’t matter. Information isn’t driving them. Needs are driving them.”
This is especially true in what Arnold reveals about himself throughout the film.
“There were some very personal things in Arnold’s diary and if he weren’t so narcissistic, he would have never wanted them in a movie,” Jarecki noted. “But I think he would be pleased that they’re in the movie.”
Eventually, the family cracks under the strain of trials and revelations. Normally, families that go through these situations band together to become stronger. In the case of the Friedmans, the family house of cards crumbled.
One of the most impressive feats of the documentary is a strong visual style outside of the found footage. Jarecki attributes this to discovering that budgetary concerns were harming his project while it was still in production. “There were six people that shot the movie outside of [the main photographer] and the only shot in the movie that’s soft is from one of the other guys,” he said. “When your vision looks good because your D.P. makes it look good, you want all of that.”
Outside of Capturing The Friedmans’ construction, perception seems to haunt this film. Jesse, who insisted that he was innocent, eventually had to tell his lawyer some horrific statements in order to enter a guilty plea. While some may see this as justice being served, others may feel sorry for the young man.
| “I feel that what happened happens every day,” Jarecki commented after his film screened at the festival. “It’s part of the dance between a lawyer and his client about a guilty plea. Because, basically, a lawyer can’t let you plead guilty unless you tell him you did it.”
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It is Jesse’s struggle that Jarecki feels drove David to reveal his past. While the initial relationship between the filmmaker and his subject was rocky, David finally allowed the film to be completed.
“David eeked out the story to me in his own way over time and, as I interviewed other people, he would fill in his own opinion. And he was both frightened by the story ever coming out and infuriated that anyone else would ever tell it,” said Jarecki. “He had a love-hate relationship with the film because of that. Ultimately, David’s willingness to participate is a nod, and kind of a noble one, from David to his brother Jesse.”
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