Filmmaker, Kevin Ekvall, will present “Following Clues: The Patternless Art of Documentary Filmmaking” on Thursday, April 28, at 7 p.m. in the Administration Building, room 117, on the Walla Walla University campus.

“The theme of my talk comes from a comment I heard Jon Foreman make about writing songs,” said Ekvall. “He said that he’s learned it’s not his job to magically produce great music or lyrics but rather to work like an archeologist: get out of bed, go to work, dig and dust, and then put together whatever he finds. I hope my talk will relieve the often paralyzing pressure to ‘create’ while nudging us to keep at it and craft stories that have real value.”

Ekvall’s 2014 documentary “I’m Not Leaving” tells the story of Carl Wilkens and his decision to stay in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide despite the urging of many to leave. In 1994, Wilkens was a missionary with the Seventh-day Adventist Church living in Rwanda with his wife, Teresa, and their three children. As the genocide began, the Wilkens family listened over the radio to cries for help from across the country. They decided that Carl would stay to try to save a few lives and Teresa and the children would evacuate.

A showing of “I’m Not Leaving” will take place Saturday, April 30, at 4 p.m. in the WWU Fine Arts Center auditorium. Ekvall will hold a Q&A session following the showing. Watch a two-minute trailer of “I’m Not Leaving.”

The lecture and film showing are sponsored by The Center for Media Ministry at WWU.

Posted April 26, 2016