Aquinas Institute to examine documentary film 'Human'

Friday, Feb. 12, 2016

OGDEN — The Aquinas Institute of Saint Joseph Catholic Schools will present compilations from the documentary film Human Feb. 18 in the SJCHS Evans Black Box Theater. Author Sean Davis will facilitate the event and discuss his work, including his involvement and appearance in the film, and his book The Wax Bullet War.

The documentary Human was distributed in 2015 and premiered at the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations last September. 

Davis, a U.S. Army veteran, is featured in the second volume of the film’s web version. He attended the screening at the United Nations.

In Ogden, Davis will discuss his experience at the United Nations. He also will lead a Q&A session following the presentation.

According to the film’s website, “Human is a collection of stories about and images of our world, offering an immersion into the core of what it means to be human. Through these stories full of love and happiness, as well as hatred and violence, Human brings us face to face with the ‘other,’ making us reflect on our lives. From stories of everyday experiences to accounts of the most unbelievable lives, these poignant encounters share a rare sincerity and underline who we are – our darker side, but also what is most noble in us, and what is universal.”

The Aquinas Institute’s mission is to provide a venue for discussion about social justice issues for both the community and students at St. Joseph schools.

Tom Tulp, SJCHS theology teacher is doing just that; he has been discussing the film Human with his senior theology class and what it means to be face to face with the other; what human dignity means.

“Human dignity gives people a sense of purpose; we all belong in this world,” said Kaitlyn Dronoff, a senior in Tulp’s class. “We are able to bring each other up even though we are not all on the same level; there is meaning we can have through empathy for the other.”

From the stories in the film, Elisabeth Schmelling also discovered from Tulp’s class discussions that personal relationships and compassion are important. “We can understand what other people are going through in a personal way,” she said. 

Joining in the discussion about human dignity in Tulp’s theology class, student Katie Hartley added that “having a voice gives people human dignity and gives people a spirit.”

Tulp concluded the discussion by saying, “Something silences each one of us; how do we overcome that? How do we allow others to walk along that road [that story] and be compassionate, be empathized so that we can move forward in giving people the dignity that they deserve?” 

Margy Maher, SJCHS senior class officer, has viewed a portion of Human; the film “has a lot of people from different cultures and backgrounds from all across the world telling their stories about issues such as sexuality, gay rights, family, death and what life means to them,” she said. “We have been discussing in theology topics that deal with life issues and events that are happening around the world and relating human dignity to them, whether it is war or gay rights or other issues they found in the film.” 

WHO: The Aquinas Institute 

WHAT: Documentary film Human

WHEN: Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Evans Black Box Theater, St. Joseph CHS, 1790 Lake St., Ogden

Free and open to the public. For information, visit stjosephutah.com or call 801-394-1515.