I loved how, instead of just watching Paul walk through Athens and have a voice over explaining, we got to see Eliav explain to us the context and the meaning behind Paul being there. It made me feel a part of the journey
Even though this video was only 16 minutes, I felt captivated the entire time by the amount of information that was outpoured throughout the entire story. I’m fairly unfamiliar with both Paul and his journey, yet by the end of this documentary I felt that I knew Paul and understood his significance to the world. Watching Paul embark on his path through several locations in Athens, including the Acropolis, was a truly enriching experience that will stick with me for a long while.
I was extremely impressed to hear about how much the University of Michigan invested in this movie, and it was really interesting to see how much that money paid off, as well as see everything we had viewed in the behind-the-scenes pay off in the full movie. It's clear how much work and effort went into this from Eliav, but also from every actor and person who was a part of this production. Lastly, I am amazed at how much they fit into a 16-minute movie. I was expecting the movie about such a prominent figure to be at least an hour, but the fact that it's shorter made everything taught so much more impactful.
The imagery in this video is fantastic. It was so cool to see professor Eliav in the physical locations he is describing and teaching about. He definitely knows how to keep the audience engaged with exciting background music and interesting images and scenery. It was no challenge to try imagining what was really going on at the time of Paul thanks to the acting and settings in this movie.
I learned so much from this documentary about Paul, not only is the storytelling great and easy to follow, but the scenery and film depicted is realistic to the historical setting. The contrast of acting with clips of more formal educational value is a great way to take in the material but also place yourself in Paul's shoes. I enjoyed the film, found it entertaining, and the perfect length to keep the attention of the viewer for its entirety.
It's so great to see a visual representation of such an interesting part of history! Having this movie at my disposal as a student significantly helps me mentally paint this image in my own head. Also, it helps me understand where one of the most popular religions across the globe originated from. I'm impressed with the lengths that Eliav and his team will go to educate his students, coworkers, and the remainder of the world on topics that hold historical significance.
I loved how we had different perspectives while the movie was progressing. Seeing the museum and then the actual architecture in Athens allows the viewer to picture how the sculptures were actually placed around the city. I also like how the actual story with actors was integrated into the movie, while showing the actual artifacts and having Eliav talk. This makes the movie more engaging. It was a pleasure to watch!
I love the costumes and the production value in terms of outfits and historical clothing. I not only like Eliav's outfits and the hat he wears, but I love the way that Eliav and his crew put together a Paul that is accurate in its entirety, even clothing.
I'm really impressed with what's shown here. After watching how they made it and knowing the challenges they faced, it's amazing what they achieved with so little time and money. The costumes look like they're from the right time, everything looks good, the acting is convincing, and the drone shots are super professional. Overall, everyone who worked on this should be proud of what they did.It's cool that you got footage of the museums and Acropolis without any people in the background. It looks like filming was an awesome experience, and it's interesting to watch.
What a sensational movie produced by Professor Eliav! I thoroughly enjoy how he jumps back and forth between recreating ancient times and the present time, giving the viewer a complete look and understanding of the context while providing great insight and knowledge of the topic of interest.
The immense detail and context that is displayed throughout this film is not only remarkable but also very satisfactory. Not only with the production being top-tier, the storytelling, voice overs, and actors pulled it all together. We were able to see Paul as not only a historical figure but a human as well. It was also very nice to see a visual representation of the historical events and context that we are learning while in class. In conclusion I believe Eliav did a great way in connecting the past to our current knowledge!
The detail is what truly stuck out to me as well. Being a historical film I expected it to be kind of boring but the storytelling was great and accompanied by very real experiences that truly humanize Paul and allows us to form our own opinions of him not only as a historical figure but as a being. The patience Paul embodies truly highlights the narrative of the story. Great film, learned a lot about Paul who I never knew until this class!
What a wonderful short film! I am so impressed with the acting in this movie. It really helps set the scene in Greece during the time that Paul visited there. This was very informative and captivating work. Being raised Christian, I have grown up hearing the biblical stories of Paul. Hearing and seeing his story be told through a more historical lens rather than a religious one was super interesting. The visuals included in the film were very helpful for understanding his journey. The abundance of maps helped provide geographical context and the various shots of Greek statues helped set the scene. Eliav and the team clearly put so much work into this project and it paid off.
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie! I appreciated the mix of maps, Eliav’s explanations, and actual re-enactments. That combination made the story straight-forward and left the viewer with a good understanding of Paul’s travels. This was a great way to learn about Paul!
I really enjoy how there is a blend of narration by Eliav and acting out of scenes in this film. The acting out of events clearly illustrated how events transpired while Eliav's commentary highlights the impact of each event. The footage of Greece in the film is also impeccable and the drone shots are especially cool. A clear picture of Paul's travels and whereabouts is painted in my head after watching this film. The time and effort spent on making this film is evident, and watching it really enriched my knowledge of Paul and the beginning of Christianity.
The film's remarkable attention to detail and context goes beyond expectations. The top-notch production, storytelling, voiceovers, and actors all came together seamlessly. It allowed us to perceive Paul as both a historical figure and a relatable human. Additionally, witnessing a visual portrayal of the historical events we study in class was truly satisfying. I think Eliav did an excellent job connecting the past to our current understanding.
I am so impressed with the quality of this. Yaron does a great job not just showing on a map where Paul went, but actually “getting in there,” and showing the historical land points of where he went.
I really enjoyed watching this documentary because it provided me with a visual to better understand the history of St. Paul's visit to the city of Athens in the first century CE. The background music, narration, and different hotspots captured by the camera really made it feel as if I was listening to a story rather than a video of facts!
I was impressed by how much I learned from just a 17-minute long documentary. especially because documentaries like this are usually an hour or longer! I really enjoyed it :)
When I think about the greatest appearances in films throughout history Yaron Eliav's masterful performance in short documentary Paul in Athens instantly comes to mind. His elegant ways of describing a story some complex so impactful into a digestible package is like nothing I have ever seen before. What A Film.
The stunning element of Eliav's explanations regarding these sites and their history was fascinating. It provided substantial educational value while serving as a reminder that history is interpreted through the historian's perspective, leaving much yet to be discovered. This approach also deepened my admiration for historians and archaeologists, acknowledging the meticulous effort they invest in reconstructing these remarkable narratives. It was truly eye-opening to witness the nuanced insights that shed light on these ancient sites, underscoring the dedication required to piece together such incredible stories.
I really enjoyed this movie! I appreciated the variety of different shots/scenes throughout; the reenactments, shots of Eliav, and views of the architecture (especially from the drone). And knowing how much hard work and dedication that was put into this film (via the behind the scenes video) which was made for students like me made me appreciate it even more!
Bravo! The performance by the actor portraying Paul was one for the ages. His body language and facial expressions were exquisite; I could truly feel each and every emotion of Paul. A shame the Oscar didn't go to him... one of the biggest snubs of the century
This movie was so amazing and I appreciate the University of Michigan for funding it. This was a very informative and entertaining movie that helped me understand what we were talking about in class. In the last lecture, we left off discussing that Paul came after Jesus. This film is a great supplement for Paul's story. I'm excited to go to class on Monday with all this background information in mind!
This documentary is a great way to follow Apostle Paul's journey in Athens for people who only viewed St.Paul as a Christian advocate. I really loved how the cast and crew were able to take us back to this time period and made it seem realistic as this journey occurred in the first century CE. Great work!
This documentary is a great example of what Eliav always says, "History begins in the present". The demonstration of this can be seen in both Eliav's and Paul's own adventures that seek to give context to past events whose effects are and were being felt in the present, and in Paul's time, in Athens. The fact that such a concept could be packed into a 17-minute documentary is extremely impressive.
Very well done cinematography! I really loved how much history of Ancient Greece this included, especially the segments where the Acropolis and other Architectural structures has no tourists. This really allows you to see how much these buildings were intricate and wondrous.
I appreciate how the University of Michigan invested into the creation of this movie. I really enjoy how it incorporates both reenactments of Paul and his journey in Athens, as well as commentary by Professor Eliav. I think that having both of these elements makes the film much more engaging since we are able to visualize Paul and his journey, but also extremely informative as Eliav provides important details and narrative as the story progresses.
This is so amazing! It's truly remarkable how Eliav manages to captivate such a fraction of a valuable historical person in such a short film. The sheer beauty of this film is nothing short of breathtaking, being in the actual locations is my favorite part. It's a testament to the boundless creativity of the Graeco-Roman period and shows the impact of Paul that still exists in our world and will continue to do so.
The recreations of Paul walking around Athens help paint a vivid picture of what life was like in Athens, and helped me visualize what the region was like during this time. This helps bring the ruins of the ancient city to life, and makes the film so much more engaging than the typical educational videos shown in history classes.
From this movie I learned a lot that I had not known before, and this is because of the way that Eliav actually goes to the historical sites he talks about throughout the short film. Instead of there being a voice over of a guy walking around, Eliav actually explains what is happening in these locations. The movie being filmed in the actual historical locations made me more engaged throughout the film and made it easier for me to retain the movie's material. Furthermore, I was extremely impressed by the cinematography of the movie. It's clear and evident the time and effort that it took Eliav and his team to produce this movie.
This film did an excellent job explaining the context for Paul being in Athens. The description of art and architecture in Athens made learning about Paul's journey all that more interesting.
Professor Eliav and his team produced a fantastic documentary, it was insightful and comprehensible. The retelling of Paul’s journey to Athens was convincing because they were able to film in the same locations the biblical Paul preached. The Parthenon in particular was impressive. The reenactments helped me understand the environment of ancient Athens but also the Mediterranean Sea which dominates the region.
Great movie, cant believe eliav made this. Thank you to the crew, the fans, and everyone else in there involvement in making this. We need more of this in modern schooling
I thought it was so cool to add the nuance of Eliav explaining some of these sites and history. It not only added so much educational value but also reminded us that all history is presented through the eyes of the historian and there is still so much to learn. It also gave me so much more appreciation for historians and archaeologists and the painstaking labor they go through to piece together these incredible stories.
It is interesting to see Eliav introducing the history and the historical remains and the journey of Paul. The background music and the production also make the film fun to watch!
A lovely documentary by Eliva, I learned a lot from only a 15-minute video. I loved that we get to see Propylaea and Acropolis and see the beautiful architecture of these buildings.
Watching Paul in Athens was a great experience. Being able to view Paul within the ancient times and Eliav in the modern time really gave me a comparison of the two different time periods. I truly enjoyed the fact that I got to learn about Paul who I had no prior knowledge on before the class along the passion of Eliav within this subject as dedication made this great for me to watch.
This short film truly captures the essence of Paul's journey in a thought-provoking and visually engaging way. I specifically enjoyed the dual use of graphics and also videos.
The decision to film background scenes depicting what Paul actually went through during his journey really helped to bring this movie to life. This creative approach to telling this story really goes to show how passionate everyone involved in this project was to breathe life into the story of Paul.
tremendous acting and storytelling by Eliav. This footage really made me feel like I was there in the moment with Paul and felt what he was feeling. I was impressed by the sights in Athens they went to, and also the similarities the city showed to cities in the Israel Palestine region like Tel Aviv Yaffo. It is truly incredible how such a short film can encompass so much and teach a lot about a largely unknown but extremely important figure to the history of the world and one of its biggest religions. Truly a great film.
I genuinely am impressed by the final product on display here. After watching the behind the scenes video, and seeing all the obstacles originally in place it’s amazing to see what was accomplished with such little time and money. The costuming seems historically accurate, the quality is great, the acting….works, the overhead drone shoots look super professional, etc… All in all, everyone who worked on this should be very proud of the work they’ve done.
I really enjoyed the different elements incorporated throughout this film. The maps, photos, aerial shots, and the artwork effectively told the story in an engaging and educational manner.
The acting is amazing, but what's even better was the directing of this film. Watching this film truly gave me the full experience of being in Athens and seeing the introduction of Christianity fall into place which as a Christian, I was unaware of. 10/10 movie, make another one for us!
I really enjoyed watching my actual professor demonstrate to me one of the more important historical stories in a context like this. I felt as if I was traveling with Eliav and the crew and that means they did a great job connecting with the audience. I am also grateful to have a better understanding of this time in history.
I was very impressed by the effort and quality put into this film. The use of the actual settings in the commentary made the experience so much better, and it’s clear that a simple green screen would not do it justice.
Watching this documentary opened my eyes to the rich history and cultural landscape of Athens during the Roman empire, and Paul’s influence on what would later become known as Christianity. I liked how Professor Eliav and his production team built a holistic narrative of Paul in Athens by incorporating a variety of film styles including a reenactment of Paul’s arrival to Athens, narration over maps/paintings/other visuals, and Professor Eliav talking directly to the audience while located in various influential sites. It was if I was able to travel in Paul’s footsteps across Athens, which helped me understand how influential the environment must have been to his teachings!
I really like how this video combines not only different sources of information, but also looks at it through very different angles. There are live-action remakes, historical artifacts and also educational insights from Eliav. It is crazy how such an influential event can be told and explained in such a short amount of time.
I really liked the different sections that this movie was separated into. It kept the movie organized and easy to find for future reference. Professor Eliav really put his all into this movie and it shows! The side comments from him really put the content all together.
Tremendous acting by Eliav, it took me until the credits scene to realize that it wasn't actually Tom Hanks. Definitely snubbed an Oscar, blasphemous. This movie taught me a lot about the shifting religious context and views held by the citizens of ancient Athens, specifically about statues. It inspired me to the point where I think I'm going to dress up as Paul for Halloween this year.
After learning about Paul in Athens in lecture, I thought that this documentary was really helpful in solidifying those concepts and ideas in my head by placing them in a physical context. The documentary was overall very well done and I was impressed by the aerial shots, which really gave a sense of the scope of the land. I also enjoyed Eliav's voiceover and found it soothing to listen to.
I really enjoyed the overhead drone shots of the Parthenon at around 4:14. The backdrop of the entire city of Athens is both beautiful and humbling to look at. Often times during the documentary, sometimes I forgot how large the landscape is and the amount of people the city encompasses. I am glad that these on shots are periodically put in to give the audience a macroscale view of the piece.
I have to say, I really enjoyed this film too. It's not often you come across a documentary that brings history to life in such a vivid way. The mix of scenes and Eliav's insights made it really engaging. We get a taste of the local life, the cityscape, religious practices, and artistic expressions of that time. Seeing those ancient sites against modern Athens was a unique perspective, and it made me appreciate the city's rich history even more. Following Paul's path with Eliav was a great way to connect with the story. All in all, it left me with a deeper understanding of that time and place.
Having grown up hearing about the writings of St. Paul and knowing his sayings the insights brought here by Professor Eliav were very new to me. Hearing the context in depth for what St. Paul was saying helped me to understand the motivations behind what St. Paul said. The combinations of culture that St. Paul began and seeing how they contributed to the later spread of Christianity are so much clearer now. Additionally, setting the film split between historical depictions of St. Paul's arrival in Athens and Professor Eliav's explanation made the film so immersive and much more engaging.
I truly can not get over how well made this film is. I am not sure the filmmaking experience and background Eliav has, but this feels like it was done by a professional director. I absolutely love how you both showed remade scenes of Paul on his boat fleeing to Greece and him walking around Athens, as well as the scenes where it was solely Eliav talking and explaining the history behind him. Also, I thought the music was incredibly well done. It fit the somewhat mysterious and intenseness of the situation with Paul perfectly. Overall, I was blown away truly. Amazing job.
This film was very educational and taught me a lot about the true story that transpired when the Apostle Paul visited Athens. I liked the style of the film, how it constantly switches from the recreation of Paul's journey in Athens to Eliav's modern day commentary on his journey. This definitely made the film a lot more engaging and also helped me to better understand the significance of the events that transpired.
The format of the documentary with the voice-over was excellent. The first-person aspect of the commentary where Eliav really connects with the audience and tells them to join him makes it much easier to engage with the content. Coupled with the fact that information was delivered in an easy to comprehend fashion, this was a very enjoyable yet informative documentary!
This was such an interesting documentary to watch that had so much information within a 16 minute period! It made me appreciate how much work went into it!
This was an enlightening documentary about the story of Paul of Tarsus. I learned many things about Paul, his journey, and his significance while watching. Before watching this documentary, I did not know about several important events in Paul's life, such as the Areopagus and his involvement in the cultural evolution around the ideas of statues and their significance. This is a fantastic example of amazing storytelling and an excellent introduction to the story of Paul.
I really enjoyed the film's writing, cinematography, and acting. It was really informative for such a short work, and it impressed me with how engaging it was throughout. Props to Eliav and the crew for this.
This movie taught me a lot about the shifting religious context and views held by the citizens of ancient Athens, specifically about statues. It was really impressive the amount of information that was covered in the short amount of time by Professor Eliav.
I loved Eliav took us on this journey and almost made it feel like one of his lectures, something I was pleasantly surprised by given the trailer. It also was very cool to see how Eliav and crew seemingly had the entire Acropolis and the Areopagos all to themselves, which really added to the cinematic excellence in this film.
I love how this documentary takes you from the beginning to understand Paul as a person and his significance to the world. I think the production and the information was all put together so well and made it enjoyable to watch. I also love how we got to see the actual sites that were referred to, it felt like we were traveling with them.
Growing up, I've heard of this "St. Paul", but I never really learned much about him or his history. I really appreciated what Professor Eliav did to really bring the Apostle Paul's story to light. This documentary did an amazing job at putting Paul in a more historical setting, tracing his steps, while simultaneously explaining his motives and actions. Overall, I would 100% recommend this documentary to anyone, to learn a little more about who Paul really was.
I really admire the artistic decision to have actors to depict Paul"s arrival in Athens, historical dramatizations help me to get into the mindset of the period and comprehend the context in a more beneficial way than just explaining it. I also really enjoyed how it was filmed in actual Athens, this lends validity and authenticity to the ideas discussed making it feel like an academic paper as well as entertainment.
I really liked getting a closer look at famous monuments and artifacts. It was so interesting to see the mix of the reenactments of history with an explanation of what was happening from Eliav. I think the mix of seeing things live and remade and seeing historical artifacts was the best way to understand what was happening through multiple contexts. You can see how it was designed for a classroom because it was very informative while still being told like a story.
This film is very well made and informative. It gives just the right amount of information and the visuals that accompany the information are helpful to understand the story. I liked the fact that the documentary went back and forth from reenactments to visits in the Museum with Eliav.
Breathtaking cinematography, thrilling narration, and especially the feature of Eliav make for quite the captivating documentary. My favorite part by far was the description of the temple of Zeus because it so heavily relied on the knowledge of our professor. 8.25/10.
I really enjoyed how the storytelling included reenactments by actors, voiceovers, and talking straight to the camera. This mix of different styles, as well as the switches between "ancient" and modern times, really helped to keep the story interesting and the audience entertained. I also liked how the story of Paul was related back to modern times, and explained how this story matters today. Also really enjoyed the views of Athens, moved the city to the top of my travel list!
I really admire the camera works and aspects of this film. It definitely helps keep the audience engaged, and will also allow for more creative control over the atmosphere or feel of the documentary. You can tell there was a lot of work put into this film because of the effective and well-placed camera movements make for a professional-quality final product!
This video was very informational and I liked how engaged I was. It was not putting me to sleep but the active moving around and presentation of different things kept me engaged. I also enjoyed how there were pictures, animations, real life shots, close ups, definitions and pictures referring to the meaning of words. It was very informative in a fun and active way! I am happy this movie was made as it allowed me to see close ups and images of what Eliav is talking about and not just trying to imagine it.
I truly enjoyed watching this documentary! I took a course last semester that focused on the Apostle Paul. In this film, I saw many things that paralleled with my course, such as Paul's evangelization of Christianity. This film also put a spin on the perspective of Paul that my course examined last semester. It was intriguing to see the different ways the life of Paul could be explained
I really enjoyed the organization of this documentary. I liked how there were scenes recreating the life of Paul mixed in with informational segments about his life. It really made the movie both informational and entertaining!
I thought the combination of the voice over, the visual representation of the actor walking through, and the segments of Eliav explaining history led to create a really unique presentation of information that was engaging. I learned a lot.
I love how interactive this documentary was because it really engaged the viewer! Eliav's voiceover made me feel as though I was right there following Pauls journey!
Super impressed with this Eliav! The amount of data, facts, and information covered in a 17-minute timespan made it feel like I watched an entire documentary. I loved the varied shots. It looked like some of them were shot on a drone which made the arial views turn out great. From the soundtrack, to the acting, and even the pacing, this was a great watch.
Wow! We are so fortunate to have such an amazing actor as our professor! Not only was the movie very educational it was also entertaining. The visuals like the maps and traditional photos in the movie really added to the learning.
Firstly, I was really impresses with the filming of the documentary. The techniques and transitions used were excellent. Secondly, it is actually incredible to see how determined Paul was. Moving from city to city in the Mediterranean, speaking with different groups of people. Its hard to imagine someone getting up and traveling the region hoping to convince people of the truth, especially in that time.
I really enjoy the combination of computer graphics, drone footage, and hand-held camera work in this documentary! Seeing all of the work that went into the production of this movie makes the payoff and knowledge learned from it even more interesting! And of course, it's great to see Eliav thriving and smiling, without a mask on. Something that I also appreciate about this movie is that it doesn't "beat around the bush" when it comes to sensitive topics and statements about religions, Eliav always gets right to the point presenting facts rather than catering to the religious biases some may have. Great movie and production!
As a Christian who has read through the book of Acts many times and studied the letters of Paul intensely, this was a very new perspective on his travels to Greece for me. I appreciated how Eliav placed the stories of the Bible amongst other historical sources to develop a full picture of Paul's presence in Athens. Idolatry is a concept that is regularly brought up in the church and the Bible; I was not aware that Paul was the first one to use this term until I watched this documentary. Despite all that I have learned about Paul through the Bible, this documentary certainly provided me with a new view on his importance to Christianity and his significance in the history of the Middle East.
Amazing video! The mix between the view of Paul walking through the city with great editing to make it feel historic along with the amazing camera work helped enrich the story phenomenally! The switch to maps to show us where he came from, possibilities of how he got into Athens, and the Idolatry graphic with many more were insanely helpful to understand this story!
What beautiful aesthetics in this video! The scenic sunset and clips on the water really add to the cinematography of the documentary. It is also amazing how much information was covered in a short amount of time. Paul in Athens is an effective and highly informative video that I would recommend to anyone.
The commitment and dedication behind this movie was truly inspiring. Before watching this movie I wasn't very aware of the story of Paul, but now that I have seen this movie, it has clarified my understanding so much more. Great work done by Eliav and his team.
I love how substantive this short film is, especially in explaining Paul's eschatological fears and the way the documentary humanized him. This work definitely has the chops for a local film festival or even a regional film festival :)
I really enjoyed watching how this film explored dense historical and academic topics through literal explanation, reenactment, and visual representation. It perfectly adapts a formal thesis styled paper with an introduction, claim, arguments, and conclusion into a visual storytelling format. It also does an excellent job of using its topic’s historical and geographical landscape to promote its claim that Paul paved a way for Christians and future generations to live in peace with the sculptural environment of the ancient world.
I used to believe that Professor Eliav's jokes in class were the extent of his acting, yet I have been completely mistaken. Eliav, in Paul in Athens, allows the viewer to have a first eye view of the architecture, engineering, and culture the Greeks had in Athens. Eliav's tone excites the viewer as he shows how much he cares about the region's history. Viewing this documentary was inspiring as a student of Eliav's. It is clear how much work, time, and effort Eliav put into this. Although Athens is just a fraction of the Mediterranean, I can now tell how influential Athens was to the development of culture in the Israeli region.
This was incredibly informative, Eliav has incredible storytelling and I really enjoyed watching this short film. Not only is he a professor but Eliav is an author, actor, producer (and almost a comedian), what can't he do!
It was a really enjoyable watch and I love the organization of the film. Between the acting and Eliav’s narrations, it was a very cool way to learn about Paul and it brought a new perspective to the origins of Christianity and the connection of our region to Greece.
The views of these ancient historical sites with the backdrop of the modern City of Athens were amazing. It is often easy to forget how these monuments which have stood for thousands of years are embedded in the city like a park or golf course would be in the outskirts. Watching Professor Eliav retrace what is believed to be Paul's path into the city helped me envision Paul's journey and his mindset upon arrival. Athens has always been a place I have wanted to visit someday in the future, and this movie has not only added sites to the list of which I want to visit but it has provided great historical context to the region and its importance to modern Western civilization.
I am so impressed by how much this documentary covered in only 16 minutes. I also appreciated how interactive this movie felt. Whether it was Eliav explaining the story or significance of certain monuments, or even the acting clips, I felt engaged the whole time. I also found it awesome that the crew was able to perfectly capture such busy tourist attractions such as the Temple of Zeus. The script, editing, visuals, and overall production of this movie is incredible!!
It's pretty cool you were able to get all this footage of the museums and Acropolis without any people in the background. Looks like it was an amazing experience to film. Very informative and interesting to watch.
This movie is a great educational video for students in all areas. I learned things that I did not know, and I saw historical moments that I otherwise would've never knew existed. I admire the University of Michigan's willingness to invest much time and money to develop this movie for the students. It is also important that Professor Eliav is educated about everything he is talking about, rather than reading from a script. I love passionate teachers. It makes learning the material all the more fun and interesting. The reenactments were great. The ancient art was gorgeous. I one day hope to travel to these cities! Great video. Thank you for filming it! Go BLUE!
When I was told to watch this movie, I genuinely thought it would be at least an hour long, thinking the content was vast. However, when I found out it was 16 minutes long I wondered how such a character like Paul would be explained in such a short time. However after watching and completing the movie, I believe Eliav went above and beyond expressing Paul and his own passion for Paul.
I loved how, instead of just watching Paul walk through Athens and have a voice over explaining, we got to see Eliav explain to us the context and the meaning behind Paul being there. It made me feel a part of the journey
Even though this video was only 16 minutes, I felt captivated the entire time by the amount of information that was outpoured throughout the entire story. I’m fairly unfamiliar with both Paul and his journey, yet by the end of this documentary I felt that I knew Paul and understood his significance to the world. Watching Paul embark on his path through several locations in Athens, including the Acropolis, was a truly enriching experience that will stick with me for a long while.
I was extremely impressed to hear about how much the University of Michigan invested in this movie, and it was really interesting to see how much that money paid off, as well as see everything we had viewed in the behind-the-scenes pay off in the full movie. It's clear how much work and effort went into this from Eliav, but also from every actor and person who was a part of this production. Lastly, I am amazed at how much they fit into a 16-minute movie. I was expecting the movie about such a prominent figure to be at least an hour, but the fact that it's shorter made everything taught so much more impactful.
The imagery in this video is fantastic. It was so cool to see professor Eliav in the physical locations he is describing and teaching about. He definitely knows how to keep the audience engaged with exciting background music and interesting images and scenery. It was no challenge to try imagining what was really going on at the time of Paul thanks to the acting and settings in this movie.
I learned so much from this documentary about Paul, not only is the storytelling great and easy to follow, but the scenery and film depicted is realistic to the historical setting. The contrast of acting with clips of more formal educational value is a great way to take in the material but also place yourself in Paul's shoes. I enjoyed the film, found it entertaining, and the perfect length to keep the attention of the viewer for its entirety.
It's so great to see a visual representation of such an interesting part of history! Having this movie at my disposal as a student significantly helps me mentally paint this image in my own head. Also, it helps me understand where one of the most popular religions across the globe originated from. I'm impressed with the lengths that Eliav and his team will go to educate his students, coworkers, and the remainder of the world on topics that hold historical significance.
I loved how we had different perspectives while the movie was progressing. Seeing the museum and then the actual architecture in Athens allows the viewer to picture how the sculptures were actually placed around the city. I also like how the actual story with actors was integrated into the movie, while showing the actual artifacts and having Eliav talk. This makes the movie more engaging. It was a pleasure to watch!
I love the costumes and the production value in terms of outfits and historical clothing. I not only like Eliav's outfits and the hat he wears, but I love the way that Eliav and his crew put together a Paul that is accurate in its entirety, even clothing.
I'm really impressed with what's shown here. After watching how they made it and knowing the challenges they faced, it's amazing what they achieved with so little time and money. The costumes look like they're from the right time, everything looks good, the acting is convincing, and the drone shots are super professional. Overall, everyone who worked on this should be proud of what they did.It's cool that you got footage of the museums and Acropolis without any people in the background. It looks like filming was an awesome experience, and it's interesting to watch.
What a sensational movie produced by Professor Eliav! I thoroughly enjoy how he jumps back and forth between recreating ancient times and the present time, giving the viewer a complete look and understanding of the context while providing great insight and knowledge of the topic of interest.
The immense detail and context that is displayed throughout this film is not only remarkable but also very satisfactory. Not only with the production being top-tier, the storytelling, voice overs, and actors pulled it all together. We were able to see Paul as not only a historical figure but a human as well. It was also very nice to see a visual representation of the historical events and context that we are learning while in class. In conclusion I believe Eliav did a great way in connecting the past to our current knowledge!
The detail is what truly stuck out to me as well. Being a historical film I expected it to be kind of boring but the storytelling was great and accompanied by very real experiences that truly humanize Paul and allows us to form our own opinions of him not only as a historical figure but as a being. The patience Paul embodies truly highlights the narrative of the story. Great film, learned a lot about Paul who I never knew until this class!
What a wonderful short film! I am so impressed with the acting in this movie. It really helps set the scene in Greece during the time that Paul visited there. This was very informative and captivating work. Being raised Christian, I have grown up hearing the biblical stories of Paul. Hearing and seeing his story be told through a more historical lens rather than a religious one was super interesting. The visuals included in the film were very helpful for understanding his journey. The abundance of maps helped provide geographical context and the various shots of Greek statues helped set the scene. Eliav and the team clearly put so much work into this project and it paid off.
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie! I appreciated the mix of maps, Eliav’s explanations, and actual re-enactments. That combination made the story straight-forward and left the viewer with a good understanding of Paul’s travels. This was a great way to learn about Paul!
I really enjoy how there is a blend of narration by Eliav and acting out of scenes in this film. The acting out of events clearly illustrated how events transpired while Eliav's commentary highlights the impact of each event. The footage of Greece in the film is also impeccable and the drone shots are especially cool. A clear picture of Paul's travels and whereabouts is painted in my head after watching this film. The time and effort spent on making this film is evident, and watching it really enriched my knowledge of Paul and the beginning of Christianity.
The film's remarkable attention to detail and context goes beyond expectations. The top-notch production, storytelling, voiceovers, and actors all came together seamlessly. It allowed us to perceive Paul as both a historical figure and a relatable human. Additionally, witnessing a visual portrayal of the historical events we study in class was truly satisfying. I think Eliav did an excellent job connecting the past to our current understanding.
I am so impressed with the quality of this. Yaron does a great job not just showing on a map where Paul went, but actually “getting in there,” and showing the historical land points of where he went.
I really enjoyed watching this documentary because it provided me with a visual to better understand the history of St. Paul's visit to the city of Athens in the first century CE. The background music, narration, and different hotspots captured by the camera really made it feel as if I was listening to a story rather than a video of facts!
I was impressed by how much I learned from just a 17-minute long documentary. especially because documentaries like this are usually an hour or longer! I really enjoyed it :)
When I think about the greatest appearances in films throughout history Yaron Eliav's masterful performance in short documentary Paul in Athens instantly comes to mind. His elegant ways of describing a story some complex so impactful into a digestible package is like nothing I have ever seen before. What A Film.
The stunning element of Eliav's explanations regarding these sites and their history was fascinating. It provided substantial educational value while serving as a reminder that history is interpreted through the historian's perspective, leaving much yet to be discovered. This approach also deepened my admiration for historians and archaeologists, acknowledging the meticulous effort they invest in reconstructing these remarkable narratives. It was truly eye-opening to witness the nuanced insights that shed light on these ancient sites, underscoring the dedication required to piece together such incredible stories.
I really enjoyed this movie! I appreciated the variety of different shots/scenes throughout; the reenactments, shots of Eliav, and views of the architecture (especially from the drone). And knowing how much hard work and dedication that was put into this film (via the behind the scenes video) which was made for students like me made me appreciate it even more!
The views they capture of Athens are absolutely stunning. Such a beautiful city that is filled with so many cultural elements.
Bravo! The performance by the actor portraying Paul was one for the ages. His body language and facial expressions were exquisite; I could truly feel each and every emotion of Paul. A shame the Oscar didn't go to him... one of the biggest snubs of the century
This movie was so amazing and I appreciate the University of Michigan for funding it. This was a very informative and entertaining movie that helped me understand what we were talking about in class. In the last lecture, we left off discussing that Paul came after Jesus. This film is a great supplement for Paul's story. I'm excited to go to class on Monday with all this background information in mind!
This documentary is a great way to follow Apostle Paul's journey in Athens for people who only viewed St.Paul as a Christian advocate. I really loved how the cast and crew were able to take us back to this time period and made it seem realistic as this journey occurred in the first century CE. Great work!
This documentary is a great example of what Eliav always says, "History begins in the present". The demonstration of this can be seen in both Eliav's and Paul's own adventures that seek to give context to past events whose effects are and were being felt in the present, and in Paul's time, in Athens. The fact that such a concept could be packed into a 17-minute documentary is extremely impressive.
Very well done cinematography! I really loved how much history of Ancient Greece this included, especially the segments where the Acropolis and other Architectural structures has no tourists. This really allows you to see how much these buildings were intricate and wondrous.
I appreciate how the University of Michigan invested into the creation of this movie. I really enjoy how it incorporates both reenactments of Paul and his journey in Athens, as well as commentary by Professor Eliav. I think that having both of these elements makes the film much more engaging since we are able to visualize Paul and his journey, but also extremely informative as Eliav provides important details and narrative as the story progresses.
Incredibly well made. I appreciated how the movie took place directly in Athens, and how well the audio supplemented the content.
This is so amazing! It's truly remarkable how Eliav manages to captivate such a fraction of a valuable historical person in such a short film. The sheer beauty of this film is nothing short of breathtaking, being in the actual locations is my favorite part. It's a testament to the boundless creativity of the Graeco-Roman period and shows the impact of Paul that still exists in our world and will continue to do so.
The recreations of Paul walking around Athens help paint a vivid picture of what life was like in Athens, and helped me visualize what the region was like during this time. This helps bring the ruins of the ancient city to life, and makes the film so much more engaging than the typical educational videos shown in history classes.
From this movie I learned a lot that I had not known before, and this is because of the way that Eliav actually goes to the historical sites he talks about throughout the short film. Instead of there being a voice over of a guy walking around, Eliav actually explains what is happening in these locations. The movie being filmed in the actual historical locations made me more engaged throughout the film and made it easier for me to retain the movie's material. Furthermore, I was extremely impressed by the cinematography of the movie. It's clear and evident the time and effort that it took Eliav and his team to produce this movie.
This film did an excellent job explaining the context for Paul being in Athens. The description of art and architecture in Athens made learning about Paul's journey all that more interesting.
Professor Eliav and his team produced a fantastic documentary, it was insightful and comprehensible. The retelling of Paul’s journey to Athens was convincing because they were able to film in the same locations the biblical Paul preached. The Parthenon in particular was impressive. The reenactments helped me understand the environment of ancient Athens but also the Mediterranean Sea which dominates the region.
Great movie, cant believe eliav made this. Thank you to the crew, the fans, and everyone else in there involvement in making this. We need more of this in modern schooling
I thought it was so cool to add the nuance of Eliav explaining some of these sites and history. It not only added so much educational value but also reminded us that all history is presented through the eyes of the historian and there is still so much to learn. It also gave me so much more appreciation for historians and archaeologists and the painstaking labor they go through to piece together these incredible stories.
It is interesting to see Eliav introducing the history and the historical remains and the journey of Paul. The background music and the production also make the film fun to watch!
A lovely documentary by Eliva, I learned a lot from only a 15-minute video. I loved that we get to see Propylaea and Acropolis and see the beautiful architecture of these buildings.
Watching Paul in Athens was a great experience. Being able to view Paul within the ancient times and Eliav in the modern time really gave me a comparison of the two different time periods. I truly enjoyed the fact that I got to learn about Paul who I had no prior knowledge on before the class along the passion of Eliav within this subject as dedication made this great for me to watch.
This short film truly captures the essence of Paul's journey in a thought-provoking and visually engaging way. I specifically enjoyed the dual use of graphics and also videos.
The decision to film background scenes depicting what Paul actually went through during his journey really helped to bring this movie to life. This creative approach to telling this story really goes to show how passionate everyone involved in this project was to breathe life into the story of Paul.
tremendous acting and storytelling by Eliav. This footage really made me feel like I was there in the moment with Paul and felt what he was feeling. I was impressed by the sights in Athens they went to, and also the similarities the city showed to cities in the Israel Palestine region like Tel Aviv Yaffo. It is truly incredible how such a short film can encompass so much and teach a lot about a largely unknown but extremely important figure to the history of the world and one of its biggest religions. Truly a great film.
I genuinely am impressed by the final product on display here. After watching the behind the scenes video, and seeing all the obstacles originally in place it’s amazing to see what was accomplished with such little time and money. The costuming seems historically accurate, the quality is great, the acting….works, the overhead drone shoots look super professional, etc… All in all, everyone who worked on this should be very proud of the work they’ve done.
I really enjoyed the different elements incorporated throughout this film. The maps, photos, aerial shots, and the artwork effectively told the story in an engaging and educational manner.
The acting is amazing, but what's even better was the directing of this film. Watching this film truly gave me the full experience of being in Athens and seeing the introduction of Christianity fall into place which as a Christian, I was unaware of. 10/10 movie, make another one for us!
I really enjoyed watching my actual professor demonstrate to me one of the more important historical stories in a context like this. I felt as if I was traveling with Eliav and the crew and that means they did a great job connecting with the audience. I am also grateful to have a better understanding of this time in history.
I was very impressed by the effort and quality put into this film. The use of the actual settings in the commentary made the experience so much better, and it’s clear that a simple green screen would not do it justice.
Watching this documentary opened my eyes to the rich history and cultural landscape of Athens during the Roman empire, and Paul’s influence on what would later become known as Christianity. I liked how Professor Eliav and his production team built a holistic narrative of Paul in Athens by incorporating a variety of film styles including a reenactment of Paul’s arrival to Athens, narration over maps/paintings/other visuals, and Professor Eliav talking directly to the audience while located in various influential sites. It was if I was able to travel in Paul’s footsteps across Athens, which helped me understand how influential the environment must have been to his teachings!
I really like how this video combines not only different sources of information, but also looks at it through very different angles. There are live-action remakes, historical artifacts and also educational insights from Eliav. It is crazy how such an influential event can be told and explained in such a short amount of time.
I really liked the different sections that this movie was separated into. It kept the movie organized and easy to find for future reference. Professor Eliav really put his all into this movie and it shows! The side comments from him really put the content all together.
Tremendous acting by Eliav, it took me until the credits scene to realize that it wasn't actually Tom Hanks. Definitely snubbed an Oscar, blasphemous. This movie taught me a lot about the shifting religious context and views held by the citizens of ancient Athens, specifically about statues. It inspired me to the point where I think I'm going to dress up as Paul for Halloween this year.
After learning about Paul in Athens in lecture, I thought that this documentary was really helpful in solidifying those concepts and ideas in my head by placing them in a physical context. The documentary was overall very well done and I was impressed by the aerial shots, which really gave a sense of the scope of the land. I also enjoyed Eliav's voiceover and found it soothing to listen to.
I really enjoyed the overhead drone shots of the Parthenon at around 4:14. The backdrop of the entire city of Athens is both beautiful and humbling to look at. Often times during the documentary, sometimes I forgot how large the landscape is and the amount of people the city encompasses. I am glad that these on shots are periodically put in to give the audience a macroscale view of the piece.
I have to say, I really enjoyed this film too. It's not often you come across a documentary that brings history to life in such a vivid way. The mix of scenes and Eliav's insights made it really engaging. We get a taste of the local life, the cityscape, religious practices, and artistic expressions of that time. Seeing those ancient sites against modern Athens was a unique perspective, and it made me appreciate the city's rich history even more. Following Paul's path with Eliav was a great way to connect with the story. All in all, it left me with a deeper understanding of that time and place.
Having grown up hearing about the writings of St. Paul and knowing his sayings the insights brought here by Professor Eliav were very new to me. Hearing the context in depth for what St. Paul was saying helped me to understand the motivations behind what St. Paul said. The combinations of culture that St. Paul began and seeing how they contributed to the later spread of Christianity are so much clearer now. Additionally, setting the film split between historical depictions of St. Paul's arrival in Athens and Professor Eliav's explanation made the film so immersive and much more engaging.
I truly can not get over how well made this film is. I am not sure the filmmaking experience and background Eliav has, but this feels like it was done by a professional director. I absolutely love how you both showed remade scenes of Paul on his boat fleeing to Greece and him walking around Athens, as well as the scenes where it was solely Eliav talking and explaining the history behind him. Also, I thought the music was incredibly well done. It fit the somewhat mysterious and intenseness of the situation with Paul perfectly. Overall, I was blown away truly. Amazing job.
This film was very educational and taught me a lot about the true story that transpired when the Apostle Paul visited Athens. I liked the style of the film, how it constantly switches from the recreation of Paul's journey in Athens to Eliav's modern day commentary on his journey. This definitely made the film a lot more engaging and also helped me to better understand the significance of the events that transpired.
The format of the documentary with the voice-over was excellent. The first-person aspect of the commentary where Eliav really connects with the audience and tells them to join him makes it much easier to engage with the content. Coupled with the fact that information was delivered in an easy to comprehend fashion, this was a very enjoyable yet informative documentary!
This was such an interesting documentary to watch that had so much information within a 16 minute period! It made me appreciate how much work went into it!
This was an enlightening documentary about the story of Paul of Tarsus. I learned many things about Paul, his journey, and his significance while watching. Before watching this documentary, I did not know about several important events in Paul's life, such as the Areopagus and his involvement in the cultural evolution around the ideas of statues and their significance. This is a fantastic example of amazing storytelling and an excellent introduction to the story of Paul.
I really enjoyed the film's writing, cinematography, and acting. It was really informative for such a short work, and it impressed me with how engaging it was throughout. Props to Eliav and the crew for this.
I really liked the formatting of the film. Seeing Eliav explaining concepts while being at the actual Acropolis was amazing!
This movie taught me a lot about the shifting religious context and views held by the citizens of ancient Athens, specifically about statues. It was really impressive the amount of information that was covered in the short amount of time by Professor Eliav.
I loved Eliav took us on this journey and almost made it feel like one of his lectures, something I was pleasantly surprised by given the trailer. It also was very cool to see how Eliav and crew seemingly had the entire Acropolis and the Areopagos all to themselves, which really added to the cinematic excellence in this film.
I love how this documentary takes you from the beginning to understand Paul as a person and his significance to the world. I think the production and the information was all put together so well and made it enjoyable to watch. I also love how we got to see the actual sites that were referred to, it felt like we were traveling with them.
Growing up, I've heard of this "St. Paul", but I never really learned much about him or his history. I really appreciated what Professor Eliav did to really bring the Apostle Paul's story to light. This documentary did an amazing job at putting Paul in a more historical setting, tracing his steps, while simultaneously explaining his motives and actions. Overall, I would 100% recommend this documentary to anyone, to learn a little more about who Paul really was.
I really admire the artistic decision to have actors to depict Paul"s arrival in Athens, historical dramatizations help me to get into the mindset of the period and comprehend the context in a more beneficial way than just explaining it. I also really enjoyed how it was filmed in actual Athens, this lends validity and authenticity to the ideas discussed making it feel like an academic paper as well as entertainment.
I really liked getting a closer look at famous monuments and artifacts. It was so interesting to see the mix of the reenactments of history with an explanation of what was happening from Eliav. I think the mix of seeing things live and remade and seeing historical artifacts was the best way to understand what was happening through multiple contexts. You can see how it was designed for a classroom because it was very informative while still being told like a story.
This film is very well made and informative. It gives just the right amount of information and the visuals that accompany the information are helpful to understand the story. I liked the fact that the documentary went back and forth from reenactments to visits in the Museum with Eliav.
Breathtaking cinematography, thrilling narration, and especially the feature of Eliav make for quite the captivating documentary. My favorite part by far was the description of the temple of Zeus because it so heavily relied on the knowledge of our professor. 8.25/10.
I really enjoyed how the storytelling included reenactments by actors, voiceovers, and talking straight to the camera. This mix of different styles, as well as the switches between "ancient" and modern times, really helped to keep the story interesting and the audience entertained. I also liked how the story of Paul was related back to modern times, and explained how this story matters today. Also really enjoyed the views of Athens, moved the city to the top of my travel list!
I really admire the camera works and aspects of this film. It definitely helps keep the audience engaged, and will also allow for more creative control over the atmosphere or feel of the documentary. You can tell there was a lot of work put into this film because of the effective and well-placed camera movements make for a professional-quality final product!
This video was very informational and I liked how engaged I was. It was not putting me to sleep but the active moving around and presentation of different things kept me engaged. I also enjoyed how there were pictures, animations, real life shots, close ups, definitions and pictures referring to the meaning of words. It was very informative in a fun and active way! I am happy this movie was made as it allowed me to see close ups and images of what Eliav is talking about and not just trying to imagine it.
So fun to see Eliav in front of the camera! watching the behind the scenes video before made it cool to see it all come to fruition!
I truly enjoyed watching this documentary! I took a course last semester that focused on the Apostle Paul. In this film, I saw many things that paralleled with my course, such as Paul's evangelization of Christianity. This film also put a spin on the perspective of Paul that my course examined last semester. It was intriguing to see the different ways the life of Paul could be explained
I really enjoyed the organization of this documentary. I liked how there were scenes recreating the life of Paul mixed in with informational segments about his life. It really made the movie both informational and entertaining!
I thought the combination of the voice over, the visual representation of the actor walking through, and the segments of Eliav explaining history led to create a really unique presentation of information that was engaging. I learned a lot.
This is one of those documentaries in which I was extremely immersed in. Eliav’s acting abilities really threw me off guard, as it was outstanding!
Absolutely loved the cinematography of the film and the exclusive access the Eliav worked to get. Would love to see a sequel!
I love how interactive this documentary was because it really engaged the viewer! Eliav's voiceover made me feel as though I was right there following Pauls journey!
Super impressed with this Eliav! The amount of data, facts, and information covered in a 17-minute timespan made it feel like I watched an entire documentary. I loved the varied shots. It looked like some of them were shot on a drone which made the arial views turn out great. From the soundtrack, to the acting, and even the pacing, this was a great watch.
The introduction alone had me hooked from the get-go, by far the most interesting documentary I've seen so far
Wow! We are so fortunate to have such an amazing actor as our professor! Not only was the movie very educational it was also entertaining. The visuals like the maps and traditional photos in the movie really added to the learning.
Firstly, I was really impresses with the filming of the documentary. The techniques and transitions used were excellent. Secondly, it is actually incredible to see how determined Paul was. Moving from city to city in the Mediterranean, speaking with different groups of people. Its hard to imagine someone getting up and traveling the region hoping to convince people of the truth, especially in that time.
I really enjoy the combination of computer graphics, drone footage, and hand-held camera work in this documentary! Seeing all of the work that went into the production of this movie makes the payoff and knowledge learned from it even more interesting! And of course, it's great to see Eliav thriving and smiling, without a mask on. Something that I also appreciate about this movie is that it doesn't "beat around the bush" when it comes to sensitive topics and statements about religions, Eliav always gets right to the point presenting facts rather than catering to the religious biases some may have. Great movie and production!
As a Christian who has read through the book of Acts many times and studied the letters of Paul intensely, this was a very new perspective on his travels to Greece for me. I appreciated how Eliav placed the stories of the Bible amongst other historical sources to develop a full picture of Paul's presence in Athens. Idolatry is a concept that is regularly brought up in the church and the Bible; I was not aware that Paul was the first one to use this term until I watched this documentary. Despite all that I have learned about Paul through the Bible, this documentary certainly provided me with a new view on his importance to Christianity and his significance in the history of the Middle East.
I’m in Athens now and going to visit these places tomorrow. What a fantastic short introductory video.
Amazing video! The mix between the view of Paul walking through the city with great editing to make it feel historic along with the amazing camera work helped enrich the story phenomenally! The switch to maps to show us where he came from, possibilities of how he got into Athens, and the Idolatry graphic with many more were insanely helpful to understand this story!
What beautiful aesthetics in this video! The scenic sunset and clips on the water really add to the cinematography of the documentary. It is also amazing how much information was covered in a short amount of time. Paul in Athens is an effective and highly informative video that I would recommend to anyone.
The commitment and dedication behind this movie was truly inspiring. Before watching this movie I wasn't very aware of the story of Paul, but now that I have seen this movie, it has clarified my understanding so much more. Great work done by Eliav and his team.
I love how substantive this short film is, especially in explaining Paul's eschatological fears and the way the documentary humanized him. This work definitely has the chops for a local film festival or even a regional film festival :)
I really enjoyed watching how this film explored dense historical and academic topics through literal explanation, reenactment, and visual representation. It perfectly adapts a formal thesis styled paper with an introduction, claim, arguments, and conclusion into a visual storytelling format. It also does an excellent job of using its topic’s historical and geographical landscape to promote its claim that Paul paved a way for Christians and future generations to live in peace with the sculptural environment of the ancient world.
I used to believe that Professor Eliav's jokes in class were the extent of his acting, yet I have been completely mistaken. Eliav, in Paul in Athens, allows the viewer to have a first eye view of the architecture, engineering, and culture the Greeks had in Athens. Eliav's tone excites the viewer as he shows how much he cares about the region's history. Viewing this documentary was inspiring as a student of Eliav's. It is clear how much work, time, and effort Eliav put into this. Although Athens is just a fraction of the Mediterranean, I can now tell how influential Athens was to the development of culture in the Israeli region.
This was incredibly informative, Eliav has incredible storytelling and I really enjoyed watching this short film. Not only is he a professor but Eliav is an author, actor, producer (and almost a comedian), what can't he do!
It was a really enjoyable watch and I love the organization of the film. Between the acting and Eliav’s narrations, it was a very cool way to learn about Paul and it brought a new perspective to the origins of Christianity and the connection of our region to Greece.
The views of these ancient historical sites with the backdrop of the modern City of Athens were amazing. It is often easy to forget how these monuments which have stood for thousands of years are embedded in the city like a park or golf course would be in the outskirts. Watching Professor Eliav retrace what is believed to be Paul's path into the city helped me envision Paul's journey and his mindset upon arrival. Athens has always been a place I have wanted to visit someday in the future, and this movie has not only added sites to the list of which I want to visit but it has provided great historical context to the region and its importance to modern Western civilization.
I am so impressed by how much this documentary covered in only 16 minutes. I also appreciated how interactive this movie felt. Whether it was Eliav explaining the story or significance of certain monuments, or even the acting clips, I felt engaged the whole time. I also found it awesome that the crew was able to perfectly capture such busy tourist attractions such as the Temple of Zeus. The script, editing, visuals, and overall production of this movie is incredible!!
It's pretty cool you were able to get all this footage of the museums and Acropolis without any people in the background. Looks like it was an amazing experience to film. Very informative and interesting to watch.
This movie is a great educational video for students in all areas. I learned things that I did not know, and I saw historical moments that I otherwise would've never knew existed. I admire the University of Michigan's willingness to invest much time and money to develop this movie for the students. It is also important that Professor Eliav is educated about everything he is talking about, rather than reading from a script. I love passionate teachers. It makes learning the material all the more fun and interesting. The reenactments were great. The ancient art was gorgeous. I one day hope to travel to these cities! Great video. Thank you for filming it! Go BLUE!
When I was told to watch this movie, I genuinely thought it would be at least an hour long, thinking the content was vast. However, when I found out it was 16 minutes long I wondered how such a character like Paul would be explained in such a short time. However after watching and completing the movie, I believe Eliav went above and beyond expressing Paul and his own passion for Paul.