What Do We Want, When Do We Want It

What Do We Want, When Do We Want It Synopsis

In 1962 Trappist monk Thomas Merton wrote a letter to Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz detailing his deep ambivalence about his involvement with the anti-war movement of the time.

Filmmaker Alex Jablonski uses the text of this letter as a jumping off point to explore the inner-lives of those attending a 2007 anti-war march. Jablonski and his crew erected an enormous white backdrop in the middle of the march and used two cameras to capture the marchers both in the middle of the throng of protesters but also isolated and removed from their context, standing alone in an all white frame.

The result is a film that is as hypnotic and troubling and questions the true motivations of those holding signs and chanting slogans.

Film Credits

Director / Editor

  1. Alex Jablonski

Director of Photography

  1. Paul de Lumen

Production Designer

  1. Kathrin Eder

Camera Operator

  1. Jon Schwartz

Production Assistants

  1. Etana Jacobsen
  2. Silas Howard

Music Composition and Sound Design

  1. Kento Oiwa

Letter read by

  1. Alex Jablonski

Special Thanks to

  1. ANSWER LA
  2. Birns & Sawyer, Hollywood
  3. The UCLA School of Film, TV & Digital Media
  4. and everyone who appeared in the film

Support This Film: Exercise Democracy

Exercise Democracy

Democracy doesn’t function unless citizens participate in the political process. Without it, the system can be undermined by money, power and corruption. Learn More »

DISCUSS WHAT DO WE WANT, WHEN DO WE WANT IT

connect with snagfilms

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Newsletter
When and where you want SnagFilms Everywhere »

What's Hot

  • Super Size Me

    Super Size Me

    Morgan Spurlock eats a McDonald's-only diet for thirty days straight.

  • Variety

    The sexually charged tale of a woman's journey of self-discovery

  • Released to Life

    With the shadow of past convictions continuing to follow them, several recently released ex-offenders struggle to redefine themselves in a society that they no longer know

SnagFilms Everywhere

Watch SnagFilms when and where you want

SnagFilms Everywhere

Recent Movie News

Please login to rate this film.
Please login to add this film to your queue.
Please login.