Sixth Film Festival - Iraq in Hollywood

Films are listed in order of screening dates and times.

Redacted (2007) Screening Date: Tuesday, June 16th, 2009 Director: Brian De Palma Length: 90 min Rating: 18A Awards: 3 wins & 2 nominations

Redacted is a fictional drama loosely based on the Mahmudiyah killings in Iraq.
Director De Palma has been criticized for not including the fact that all of the soldiers involved in the real-life Mahmudiyah killings were prosecuted for the rape and murders. De Palma pointed out that the film itself is fictional. The film has attracted political controversy, with claims that it portrays U.S. soldiers in a negative light, and may contribute to anti-American sentiment in Iraq and elsewhere. De Palma argued that the film provides a realistic portrait of U.S. troops and how "the presentation of our troops has been whitewashed" by media. He expected that its graphic images would stir public debate about the conduct of American soldiers.

Stop-Loss (2008) Screening Date: Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 Director: Kimberly Pierce Length: 112 min Rating: R Awards: 3 wins & 2 nominations

Staff Sergeant Brandon King is plagued with guilt about casualties among both his men and civilians that occurred while he served in the Iraq War. During the tour, he lost three soldiers in an ambush. On returning to their Texas hometown, he and long-time best friend and war buddy Steve Shriver are decorated. King expects to be discharged, but is suddenly ordered back into active duty in Iraq, based on the military's controversial stop-loss policy. He refuses and goes AWOL, becoming a deserter.

No End in Sight (2007) Screening Date: Thursday, June 18th, 2009 Director: Charles Ferguson Length: 102 min Awards: Nominated for an Oscar; another 8 wins & 7 nominations

A documentary film that focuses on the two year period following the American invasion of Iraq in March 2003. The film asserts that serious mistakes made by the administration of President George W. Bush during that time were the cause of ensuing problems in Iraq, including the rise of the insurgency, the lack of security and basic utilities for many Iraqis, sectarian violence and, at one point, the risk of complete civil war. The documentary touches upon certain aspects of the Bush Administration's planning of the occupation of Iraq prior to the reconstruction. And the grave mistakes made by L. Paul Bremer, the head of the CPA.

Battle of Haditha (2007) Screening Date: Friday, June 19th, 2009 Director: Nick Broomfield Length: 97 min Rating: R Awards: 2 wins

The film is based on an incident that occurred three months after the Battle of Haditha in the Iraq War. On November 19, 2005, 24 Iraqi men, women and children were killed in Haditha, a city in the western Iraq province of Al Anbar. At least 15 of those killed were non-combatant civilians. All are alleged to have been killed by a group of United States Marines. Since the release of the film, however, all the Marines involved have been acquitted, except for Sgt. Wuterich, who was the Marine in charge on the ground that day.

In the Valley of Elah (2007) Screening Date: Saturday, June 20th, 2009 Director: Paul Haggis Length: 121 min Rating: R Awards: Nominated for an Oscar; one win and 5 other nominations

The film tells the story of war veteran Hank Deerfield, his wife Joan and the search for their son Mike, a soldier who recently returned from Iraq but has mysteriously gone missing. Hank's investigation is aided by a police detective who becomes personally involved in the case.
Mike's body is found, cut to pieces and burnt. Military officials initially attempt to block the police investigation and then suggest Mike's death was due to drug-related violence. His platoon mates, who saw him last, lie to Hank and the police.

Iraq for Sale (2006) Screening Date: Sunday, June 21st, 2009 Director: Robert Greenwald Length: 75 min

A 2006 documentary about the ongoing Iraq War and the behaviour of companies with no-bid contracts working in Iraq. Specifically, the film claims four major contractors -- Blackwater, K.B.R.-Halliburton, CACI, and Titan -- are over-billing the U.S. government and doing substandard work while endangering the lives of American soldiers and private citizens. The documentary contends these companies are composed of ex-military and ex-government workers who unethically help their companies get and keep enormous contracts and milk the American taxpayer.
The film crew interviews military servicemen, watchdog group affiliates, and former employees of Halliburton.

This event is sponsored by:

• City of Kitchener
• Social Planning Council of Kitchener-Waterloo
• Waterloo Regional Arts Council
• Tapestry Festival
• Generation X Alternative Video and Media