Jacob Whatley and Kulsoom Rizavi filming in Iceland.
“Her cinematic eye is unusually sophisticated for her age, and her action photography is relentless.”
That’s how Gary Hawkins, professor in Cinema Studies and a writer and filmmaker, describes the work of student Kulsoom Rizavi. Although only rising juniors, she and colleague Jacob Whatley already have created films at Duke University that others can only begin to imagine.
Duke has given them opportunities to flourish with programs such as Duke in Denmark and Duke in L.A. Rizavi has a flare for documentaries, and she sees them as a form of activism.
“I think documentaries are a great tool for activism, for getting your voice out there for talking about things that you feel passionately about, so that's what it's been like for me,” she says.
Rizavi brought her experience in experimental non-fiction film from high school and jumped into documentary media right from her first semester, earning Duke’s Koonz Human Rights Prize for her photo documentary, “This Is the Year.” She created the documentary in Susie Post-Rust’s Digital Documentary course, according to Jules Odendahl-James, director of academic engagement for the arts & humanities and chair of the faculty committee for the Benenson Award.
Whatley has been an intern for Duke Communications since his first year and has completed coursework in cinematography, editing and digital photography, as well as contributing his talents to supporting student films through Freewater Productions.
Both come from very different backgrounds – Rizavi is an international student who is well-traveled and has participated in different study abroad programs offered by Duke. Before visiting Iceland, Whatley had never traveled outside of the U.S. While Rizavi hopes to continue her work as a documentary filmmaker, Whatley wants to experience other forms of cinematography before deciding his future.
“The best cinematographers around the world don’t have a style, they are good at what they do and can tell any story that is needed. That’s what I aim to do,” he said.
Jacob Whatley takes photographs at the water's edge in Iceland.
