The Intersection of Storytelling and Song
The latest installment of the SongWriter podcast, hosted by Ben Arthur, delves into the profound and often painful terrain of family legacy. This season continues its mission of transforming personal narratives into music, featuring a compelling collaboration between filmmaker Ali Selim and musician Carla Kihlstedt.
Ali Selim, known for his work as a director, brings a raw, vulnerable perspective to the episode. He opens up about his complicated relationship with his late father—a man he describes as erudite and occasionally violent. For Selim, the passage of time has not necessarily brought the closure that many associate with forgiveness. “My dad passed away ten years ago, and I still have a connection to him,” Selim shared. “But there’s no accountability there…and that’s what leads to forgiveness.”
Navigating the Complexity of Forgiveness
During a live performance hosted by FilmNorth, Selim read from a memoir-in-progress, detailing his father’s tendency to rewrite history through lies. This pattern of dishonesty, which spanned topics from anatomy to the law, left a lasting impact on Selim’s own perception of reality. The episode also features insights from Dr. Emily Gaarder, an expert in restorative justice, who notes that the concept of forgiveness is often misunderstood.
“What’s really valuable about Ali’s story is that it helps us look at the options for us to heal when the person who has harmed us isn’t taking responsibility,” Dr. Gaarder explained.
Dr. Gaarder suggests that forgiveness can be an internal process—a way to release a burden—rather than a transactional exchange requiring the participation of the person who caused the harm. This nuance provides a critical framework for understanding Selim’s journey.
Musical Transformation
Carla Kihlstedt, a longtime collaborator of Selim’s who previously worked on the soundtrack for his film Sweet Land, found inspiration in his writing. While composing the song “I Am a Fish,” Kihlstedt drew parallels between Selim’s personal struggle and the broader, global stories of individuals finding their way through overwhelming circumstances, such as those involved in the Freedom Flotilla.
The live performance of the song proved to be a transformative moment for both artists. By choosing not to hear the recording beforehand, Selim allowed himself to experience the music in its purest form. “I felt like: this is why I am on the planet,” Kihlstedt reflected on the performance. “Occasionally you get an opportunity to do something in a way that only you could do it.”
Season seven of SongWriter is made possible by a grant from the Templeton World Charity Foundation.
