By Tim McCarthy
tmccarthy@haverhillgazette.com
—
Haverhill film maker David Ritter, 27, has a story to tell, and it's one nobody has taken the time to hear.
David Ritter hopes to expose the Merrimack Valley to the idea of "minority whites" in the West Indies at the August premiere of his documentary, "Forgotten Faces", at the Essex Art Center in Lawrence.
For the past year, Ritter has traversed the West Indies conducting interviews with minority groups throughout countries such as Haiti and Jamaica to create his documentary and first feature production.
The documentary, in which Ritter speaks with individuals of white European, Chinese, East Indian and Middle Eastern descent, is described by Ritter, who is white himself, as a labor of love to express the untold story of both himself and others of a similar background.
"They try to live their lives invisible," he said.
Through interviews with people from these backgrounds, Ritter said, the film explores the impact racism and discrimination have had in their lives. He also wanted to show how these groups have become more tightly knit in the face of said discrimination.
"Oppression leads to a form of unity and pride," he said.
Born in Methuen, Ritter has spent much of his life between time in the West Indies and here in the Merrimack due to his mixed family background. Even today, he typically spends half a year in the West Indies and the other half in Haverhill.
"I've got a lot of ties here," he said. "It may seem eccentric, but I get bored staying in one place."
Ritter studied audio and video production at the School Museum of Fine Arts in Boston but said this was his first professional production. He has been a DJ and radio host in the northern areas of Haiti, in cities such as Cap Haitien, but said that he found the lifestyle to be dangerous enough to find a new career due to the sporadic violence the music scene would attract.
"You've got to turn a lot of those jobs down unless you know the people," he said. "It's dangerous work."
Now, however, he's discovered a new passion through film making.
"I'm hoping I can make a profession out of this," he said. "Even if it doesn't make me any money."
The spark for his inspiration came during a bus ride with a volunteer group he was working with in Kingston, Jamaica, several years ago. Several white missionaries he was with didn't realize he was a resident of the city and began to make disparaging remarks against the treatment of whites and other minority groups in the country. Once he revealed his mixed background however, they grew suspicious and judgemental of him by asking why he would want to live there.
"I always found it perplexing how I was treated by Americans," he said. "Once conversation would start, they'd get suspicious."
As he began attempting to read more into minority histories in the West Indies, he discovered that no comprehensive narrative existed after 1950.
"It always vexed me to no end," he said. "I had to do something about it."
He did add that despite the fact a number of white and other minority groups in the West Indies were wealthy, the film isn't meant to show lifestyles of the rich and successful.
"My job was to break down those stereotypes," he said
Filming began in 2008 and took around a year to shoot and edit. He said that while he was working on the film, he'd perform up to three other jobs during the day just to earn money to pay the bills as he toiled. In total, he said the film cost him around $10,000 in all expenses to complete.
He was even given a $500 grant from the Essex Art Center in Lawrence which he said went toward a better camera and microphone.
As a teenager, Ritter took photography classes and served as mentor at the Essex Art Center. He applied for the grant money when he started the project.
"We're very excited David has followed through on this project from beginning to end," said Cathy McLaurin, the director of special projects and the Beland Gallery. "We wanted to support him."
His second film, which he currently said is in the early phases of production, will explore destitute whites of Jamaica. He also submitting his film to film festivals and television networks around the world.
IF YOU GO:
What: Public Premier of "Forgotten Faces"
Where: Essex Art Center, 56 Island St., Lawrence, MA 01840
When: Aug. 6 at 7 p.m.
Cost: Free
