In her own word and images.
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[Update: Jehane came to the screening. Her documentarian’s sense of ethics and accuracy was inspiring. My subtitle {below} is a bit unfair and my memory of the scene mentioned a bit flawed. In the interest, of open discussion. I will leave this post otherwise alone for the record. I will create a new post with full correction. But Jehane liked the idea of me being proud of her and I am.]
Harvard Alumna shines light on our government’s efforts to control the news of the Iraq war.
Tonight 6:00 PM @ KSG
In Jehane Noujaim’s film ‘Control Room’ there is footage from the Al Jazeera office in Baghdad. They were on the roof of the building. The reporter had a helmut and flak jacket on. You could see the fear in his eyes. The producer in Doha, Qatar told them to turn the camera around over the city. Absolutely nothing going on on the ground – no explosions, plumes of smoke. Next you see two F-16’s flying level across the sky totally alone. A sudden downward tilt and moments later you see debris obscuring the frame as the camera tumbles. Then snow.
Jehane, an Egyption-American, said on Charlie Rose that she did not know if it was intentional or not. In the movie, the producer in Doha is interviewed. There was no doubt in his mind. Mine either. My government murdered that man and his colleagues to shut them up. Jehane was both incredibly shrewd and incredibly brave in this. It was an honor to keep the books on the shelves for her.
Jehane, may I be proud of you?
-r
http://www.controlroommovie.com/site/01.html
