Friday, November 2, 2007

Profile of filmmaker Wolfgang Busch by Sun-Sentinel Newspaper

Filmmaker caught off guard and finds the bigger picture


By Sherri Winston
Lifestyle Columnist
October 24, 2007


Wolfgang Busch dedicated 10 years of his life to completing his first documentary, How Do I Look. But his latest project, which he completed in a year, could become the calling to which he'll dedicate the rest of his life.


The debut of his new "baby" received all-due fanfare. At least 300 guests filled the Tamarac Community Center on Saturday for the premiere and to pay tribute on the documentary's stars.


A True Lesson In Humanity shows the behind-the-scenes life, vitality and hope of a spunky group of young people with an assortment of physical and mental challenges. The Special Needs Color Guard of America, a division of the Florida Special Arts Center, made headlines last year when they needed to raise nearly $50,000 in a short amount of time in order to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.


Busch met the South Florida group and their indefatigable leader, Ellen Kleinert-Cohn, when they traveled north for the parade.


"The first thing I remember about meeting them," says Busch, "was their spirituality, their energy. I'm big into that so that was important to me."


Busch and Kleinert-Cohn hooked up after a succession of friends, including best-selling true-crime author Aphrodite Jones, led them to each other. Kleinert-Cohn had been overwhelmed by the progress her group had made from in its inception eight years ago to performing on a national stage. She'd sought someone who might donate their time to document the experiences of her amazing group.


"I'm a person who believes everything happens for a reason. I believe Wolf came into our lives and we had this connection and it was wonderful. It happened for a reason."


And perhaps that reason was to help Busch, a native of Germany, realize his true calling. Now the filmmaker wants to become the next executive director of the Florida Special Arts Center.


Busch says he grew up with a cousin who had a disability. He was drawn to the Special Needs Color Guard because their story can "raise awareness about people with disabilities," by showing how young people who'd been overlooked stood up and proved they were bigger than their physical and mental challenges.


"I followed them around [New York] for the whole week, filming them at practice, going everywhere with them," Busch says. Now he's planning to show the DVD at festivals and other screenings. He adds that the $20 cost of the DVD will be used as a fundraiser for upcoming color guard activities. "So it all goes directly back to the kids," he says.


The behind-the-scenes look is engaging. Young people push past the odds by twirling props, following formations and proving they not only follow the beat of their own drummers, but they can keep the beat with the masses, too.


All of which has inspired Busch to envision future projects with participants working as production assistants or helping with other creative tasks when he becomes executive director.


Which leads us back to Saturday night. The excitement was palpable, and that's not just fancy talk. You could really feel the energy, the aliveness of the event.


My eyes scan the faces of participants, parents and friends. Everyone here is so accepting, and the focus this night is to extend the acceptance beyond this room.


Kleinert-Cohn opened the evening saying, "Our goal is to bridge the gap between the general and special populations.


"That's why this DVD is so important. That's why the work that Wolfie did is so important. It shows people that these are capable kids."


Busch adds: "It shows what these kids can do if you just give them a chance."


Sherri Winston can be reached at swinston@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4108.

Copyright © 2007, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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