In many ways George Ciampa is like any other documentary filmmaker. He’s passionate about his work and constantly searching for funds to complete his next film. But Ciampi also is racing against time. The World War II veteran will be 85 next month and some of the interview sources in his next planned film are even older.
A quick chat with Ciampa tells you not to bet against him. Ciampa, a veteran of five campaigns in Europe including the Normandy Invasion and the Battle of the Bulge, already has two documentaries under his belt.
He might have gotten a late start on filmmaking, but he’s making up for lost time now.
“It went from mission to passion to obsession. I’m obsessed with this,” he says.
Both “Let Freedom Ring: Lesson is Priceless” and “Let Freedom Ring: Memories of France” have been shown on PBS stations nationwide, and the latter played at the 2009 G.I. Film Festival. But he also wants them to be shown in classroom across the globe.
“It’s not just about freedom, but what it’s like to lose their freedom,” says Ciampa, who will be attending this year’s G.I. Film Festival which runs from May 11-16 this month.
Ciampa, who oversees the nonprofit site Letfreedomringforall.org, has spoken to students in different parts of the world, and their reactions are often similar.
“I talk to the kids there about the loss of freedom. It opens their eyes,” he says. “Imagine someone breaking your door down tonight [to arrest your parents] and you never see them again.”
A few brave students ask some pointed questions.
“One little girl in Antwerp asked me, ‘did you ever see Hitler?’ I told her, ‘No, if I did I’d have shot him,” he says.
Ciampa’s first two documentaries focuses on teachers who travel to WWII battlegrounds to hear veterans describe the war – and the freedoms they fought so valiantly to protect. It’s Ciampa’s way of enlightening teachers in a way textbooks can’t.
He hopes they’ll pass on those lessons directly to their students.
But Ciampa’s new documentary will be different. He plans to focus on heroes who flew dangerous daytime bombing raids during the war.
The idea came from a man who, at the age of 9, saw a fighter plane crash near his home. That pivotal event in his young life sparked an effort to study those who carried similar missions out across Europe as well as give more information to the families of the fallen pilots.
Ciampa, who hopes to start shooting his new film in October, isn’t looking to strike it rich with his documentaries. His goals are more modest, and he won’t give up easily.
“I’m too close to too many things. I want to film in October. I’m gonna keep going,” he says.
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