Last week we shared with you information on the Voices of Iraq documentary that was opening here in the U.S. Today, we have an update from a left leaner who was in attendance.
Unsuspectingly, I went to this 'Voices of Iraq' premiere - as did a few hundred other people (the theater was full). Things started well. The producer praised Mpls as a great city where people are "open" to independent film and non-mainstream ideas. He said - a little vaguely, I now think - that Michael Moore is a brilliant filmmaker who has developed a "new genre" of documentary. The predominantly Kerry-buttoned audience clapped enthusiastically and then we watched the movie...Did other people know it was sponsored by the IAFA and the FDD (FDD members include Newt Gingrich, R. James Woolsey and Richard Perle)? Apparently, judging by this film (450 hours of footage, edited down to less than an hour and a half), the overwhelming majority of Iraqis are very happy and cheerful these days. They adore the police and they laugh about the Abu Ghraib abuse revelations. None of the so-called insurgents are Iraqis because Iraqis would never. When asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, one beaming little boy said, "American!"
Some members of the audience were infuriated with a sense of having been duped by the promos, which were clearly *aimed at liberals.* Here and there, extroverts stood up from their seats and shouted "Propaganda!" and "They're lying to you!" along with various epithets, marching out of the
theater in little clusters.There was no Q & A afterward.
The film opens at the Lagoon (and in ten other can-you-say-Swing-State cities) tonight.
Such a perfect illustration of the blinding character of ideology.
I must confess I haven't seen the film, but the discounting of it based solely on the content regardless of its veractity is chilling to say the least.