2004

June 16, 2004
Camera 3
USA
Arabic / English
84 minutes

Documentary about the Al Jazeera television network which broadcasts out of Qatar. It will not hold many surprises to viewers who know just how controlled information is in the Persian Gulf during wartime.

Al Jazeera is important as it is not state-run and has been condemned by both Arab countries and our very own U S of A. The military and government don't like it when they don't control what people see on the air. Al Jazeera is a professional newsgathering organization that shows its viewers the results of war. It is not anti-American anymore than CNN is anti-Arab.

Something I didn't know about was the apparent targeting of an Al Jazeera reporter on a Baghdad rooftop by American planes. Claiming that gunfire had been seen coming from the building, American planes bombed the offices of Al Jazeera causing the death of a popular frontline reporter. It seems to have been too precise to be simply an accidental targeting mistake.

Former BBC reporter Hassan Ibrahim makes a compelling (and large) character as he navigates between Arabic and English, explaining in frank detail how different sides in the war might see facts differently.

The US Military is seen to be a bit bumbling, especially when they announce the famous deck of cards with targets listed and a full news conference, only to not release any of the decks to the large assembled press pool. Even the most rah-rah networks can't hide their mockery of those in charge of the military press briefings.

There is also the accusation that the cheering crowd who watched the statue of Saddam come down in that famous footage were not Iraqi at all. One producer says "I'm from Iraq. Don't you think I would recognize a Baghdad accent?"

The film is about the struggle between the military to control the flow of information, and the networks (in all countries) to get the most up-to-date and accurate information that they can. It is surprisingly evenhanded.

8.5 Critical Consensus
**** Curiel
*** Ebert
*** Caro