Private Story
Jack Riccobono on the Wake Island podcast
Today on Wake Island, we have documentarian Jack Riccobono, who directed one of my all-time favorite documentaries, The Seventh Fire, which was produced by Natalie Portman, Chris Eyre, and Terrence Mallick.
The Seventh Fire follows Rob Brown, a Native American gang leader, and his 17-year old protege on the White Earth Indian Reservation in Minnesota. We experience most of the film through Rob, who is the heart and soul of the film. Having bounced from prison to prison throughout his life, Rob is at a crossroad, wrestling with an uncertain future living isolated on a reservation.
The Seventh Fire is exactly what I look for in documentary filmmaking: compelling characters, insider access, and an unflinching eye when it comes to following the narrative. But most importantly, the film brings no outside judgement or ideology. It doesn't rely on liberal guilt to present Rob as a noble native who's been wronged by the white man. The best documentaries let the subjects carry the momentum.
In our conversation, Jack and I get into his background and what the process was like filming The Seventh Fire. We also talk about a new documentary he produced called Afterward. You can watch the trailer to it on his site at: AllRitesReserved.com. And you can rent The Seventh Fire on Itunes and Amazon Prime. It was really an honor to speak with Jack. I can guarantee that you’ll be hearing more about him in the very near future.
32
