(2022)
Synopsis
Looking backward to move forward, Kehinde Ishangi, an African American choreographer, searches to uncover the truth about her absent father’s choices and reveals the real enemy of the Vietnam War.
In the feature documentary, Not My Enemy, director Kehinde Ishangi paints a picture of the traumatic and dehumanizing impact of the Vietnam War through the experiences of African-American soldiers. Weaving between a fictional narrative and real-life interviews with Vietnam veterans, the documentary dance film becomes a harrowing reminder of how an aimless and violent war left indelible scars on a generation of Black men and their families. Those who made it out of Vietnam returned home only to find another war raging in their backyard, the battle for civil rights. Inspired by dialogue with her father, a Vietnam veteran, Ishangi examines the nightmare of combat, the deeply psychological aftermath, and the effort to heal from these lifelong wounds.
Goals
Not My Enemy is more than a film, it is a community engagement initiative. The film will be used to initiate dialogue for those grappling to heal from the pain of war and to diminish the stigma placed on them when they return home. News reports confirm that veterans still struggle to receive proper aid post-war. Not My Enemy offers a way for empathetic audiences to create social change and support some of the United States’ most valuable and vulnerable citizens.
Screenings
-2022-
November 2022 Veterans Film Festival, Sydney Australia
December 2022 Veterans Film Festival, San Francisco
January 2023 Screendance Miami, Miami FL
January 2023 Denton Black Film Festival, Denton, TX
May 2023 American Dance Festival, Durham, NC
August 2023 American Legion Hall Senior Center, Denton, TX
Director: Kehinde Ishangi
Executive Producer: Kehinde Ishangi
Producer & Editor: Tiffany Rhynard