Contact: Dr. Robert Albrecht, Professor Emeritus, Media Arts Department, NJCU
Email: [email protected]
website: https://robertalbrecht.com
201-423-5974
A documentary co-directed and co-produced by Dr. Robert Albrecht of the Media Arts Department at NJCU, was recently honored as “Best Documentary” at the Helsinki Education Film Festival International Festival in Finland.
This is the third major win for Man on a Mission. The documentary was also honored as “Best Documentary” at last year’s Golden Door International Film Festival in Jersey City and as a “Merit Winner” by Impact Docs in La Jolla, California.
Man on a Mission: The Transformative Power of the Arts” focuses on the groundbreaking pedagogical work of Carmine Tabone who founded the Educational Arts Team and Camp Liberty. At a time when the arts are often downsized or eliminated from the curriculum, the documentary explores how the arts can be used to build community, enhance self-esteem, and dramatically improve academics.
The 40-minute documentary is a collaboration between Dr. Albrecht and local artist and educator the late Dina Bruno. “Dina and I wanted to pay homage to Carmine. He was definitely a fixture in the local community. In his 50 years of work with young people in Jersey City, Tabone’s work took him and the programs he founded into day care centers, youth shelters, schools, housing projects, churches, jails, and parks. Where he could do good, he was there.”
NJCU Professor Albrecht joined up with Tabone in 1982 and served as musician, playwright, and workshop leader as well as an advisor for over 40 years. He notes that the programs founded by Tabone routinely hired staff from the student body of NJCU. The current director of the Educational Arts Team, Roxy Arrojo. is an NJCU graduate as are many other staff members.
Photo Courtesy: Camp Liberty Archives
Media Arts professor and documentarian Joel Katz put Albrecht and Bruno in touch with veteran filmmaker Harry Kafka who generously added his expertise and enthusiasm to the project. Several students, staff and alumni from the Media Arts Department also made contributions to the film’s creation which was made possible by a grant from the Jersey City Arts and Culture Trust Fund. Media Arts alumnus Brian Timmons, who has worked on music videos for rapper Chuck D and others, assisted in the project without payment.
The arts-centric orientation of the film coincided well with the purpose of the Helsinki Festival and the overall approach of the Finnish educational system. The Finnish educational system is considered among the best and most innovative in the world. The Helsinki Education Film Festival International was established as a platform for filmmakers and educators to improve education and learning experience through films.
