Sean Langan

Somehow, that made it easier for them to open up and they couldn't stop themselves opening up to me, unlike when they'd been debriefed by FBI or

american military and that was trauma talking to trauma even though i had no empathy sympathy for them they'd put trauma onto others but they were carrying this trauma some sort of weird weird common ground that you sort of found so that that was the one time i went back but i i don't want to go back there because it was i put my kids through too much but i it messed me up

The overwhelming memories I've got, experiences of the common humanity and the kindness, anywhere you go in the Middle East, strangers everywhere.

would give me food, shelter, the smiles, the laughter.

And the life I lived, I lived a hundred lifetimes of sharing common humanity, breaking bread with a guy in the middle of nowhere in the mountain from different worlds.

It was such an intense privilege and pleasure.

And of course, you know, we see the differences initially first.

Very quickly,

you spend time with anyone from anywhere in the world and the common humanity, our shared humanity is what is really most strong.

And it's maybe a cliche, but so I go to these places, not on the one hand, yes, I'm drawn there.

And it's also, I know that's how I get a commission.

I can't say to someone, will you give me money to make a film where everyone's having a lovely time?

Yeah.

So the news, but what I would still go there is because you feel so alive when you're sharing people's lives who are going through extreme circumstances, but it brings out the best in people as well as the worst.

And to be part of that, to experience our common humanity and the loves and the laughter and the sadness is a gift.

And so I would recommend anyone obviously to avoid

Now, the commander, he had the charm of the devil because he'd be very charming, but he was like a sociopath, I've discovered.

He came in the next evening,

like your avuncular uncle at Christmas, bringing lots of Christmas gifts.

And he had a big box and he sat me down, he put his arm around me, said, look what I've brought you.