American filmmaker and journalist Brent Renaud was shot and killed by Russian troops in Irpen, Ukraine, Kyiv’s regional police force announced Sunday.
Renaud’s brother and collaborator Craig confirmed his death at the age of 50 to the New York Times, adding that Brent was in Ukraine to film refugees leaving the Ukrainian capital.
Kyiv chief of police Andriy Nebitov said in a statement (via Interfax), “The invaders cynically kill even international media journalists who are trying to show the truth about the atrocities of Russian troops in Ukraine… Of course,...
Renaud’s brother and collaborator Craig confirmed his death at the age of 50 to the New York Times, adding that Brent was in Ukraine to film refugees leaving the Ukrainian capital.
Kyiv chief of police Andriy Nebitov said in a statement (via Interfax), “The invaders cynically kill even international media journalists who are trying to show the truth about the atrocities of Russian troops in Ukraine… Of course,...
- 3/13/2022
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
The three news networks carried tribute ceremonies on Wednesday for Brian Sicknick, the police officer killed in the siege on the Capitol last month.
CNN, MSNBC and Fox News carried the congressional tribute to Sicknick, who lay in honor at the Rotunda, followed by the departure of his remains from the Capitol.
But when it came to coverage Tuesday evening’s ceremonies for Sicknick, Fox News carried only parts live while sticking to its lineup of opinion hosts, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham.
That drew attention on Twitter. As CNN and MSNBC stuck to live coverage of the arrival ceremony of Sicknick’s remains, Fox News was on to other topics. On The Ingraham Angle, that included coverage of the pandemic, including a segment with Dr. Scott Atlas, Donald Trump’s former coronavirus adviser, criticizing Dr. Anthony Fauci. Earlier on Hannity were segments on a woman ejected from a Lakers game for heckling LeBron James.
CNN, MSNBC and Fox News carried the congressional tribute to Sicknick, who lay in honor at the Rotunda, followed by the departure of his remains from the Capitol.
But when it came to coverage Tuesday evening’s ceremonies for Sicknick, Fox News carried only parts live while sticking to its lineup of opinion hosts, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham.
That drew attention on Twitter. As CNN and MSNBC stuck to live coverage of the arrival ceremony of Sicknick’s remains, Fox News was on to other topics. On The Ingraham Angle, that included coverage of the pandemic, including a segment with Dr. Scott Atlas, Donald Trump’s former coronavirus adviser, criticizing Dr. Anthony Fauci. Earlier on Hannity were segments on a woman ejected from a Lakers game for heckling LeBron James.
- 2/3/2021
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Vice TV has announced that its new series, “While the Rest of Us Die: Secrets of America’s Shadow Government,” will premiere on Nov. 16 at 10 p.m.
Based on the book by Garrett M. Graff, the six-part series exposes the U.S. government’s flawed plans to protect its citizens. The show unpacks America’s national security spending on hidden underground cities, a secret air force and a plan to suspend democracy in order to serve the interests of the elite class.
The series features interviews with political figures including former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and former National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure, Protection and Counter-terrorism Richard Clarke, and national security experts Malcolm Nance, Elizabeth Goitien and Paul Rieckhoff. It will be narrated by “Westworld” star Jeffrey Wright.
“The events of this last year have laid bare the economic, political and health inequities at the core of American society,” said Graff.
Based on the book by Garrett M. Graff, the six-part series exposes the U.S. government’s flawed plans to protect its citizens. The show unpacks America’s national security spending on hidden underground cities, a secret air force and a plan to suspend democracy in order to serve the interests of the elite class.
The series features interviews with political figures including former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and former National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure, Protection and Counter-terrorism Richard Clarke, and national security experts Malcolm Nance, Elizabeth Goitien and Paul Rieckhoff. It will be narrated by “Westworld” star Jeffrey Wright.
“The events of this last year have laid bare the economic, political and health inequities at the core of American society,” said Graff.
- 11/12/2020
- by Janet W. Lee
- Variety Film + TV
There’s no end in sight for the longest government shutdown in American history. President Trump and congressional Democrats have dug in to the point that some senior Republicans close to the White House have said the only way it’s ending is through some sort of external disaster, like Tsa employees refusing to come to work. As Trump continues to clamor for border wall funding — he tried to make his case Wednesday morning by tweeting a Lou Dobbs statistic about how 800 miles of wall have been built in Europe...
- 1/16/2019
- by Ryan Bort
- Rollingstone.com
President Obama isn't to blame for Sarah Palin's son's Ptsd, the head of a New York City-based veteran's organization says. "It's not President Obama's fault that Sarah Palin's son has Ptsd," Paul Rieckhoff, head of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, told NBC News on Wednesday. "Ptsd is a very serious problem, a complicated mental health injury and I would be extremely reluctant to blame any one person in particular." The comments came after Palin linked her son, Track's, recent domestic violence arrest to his Ptsd and Obama's lack of "respect" for veterans. Track, 26, who served in Iraq,...
- 1/21/2016
- by Char Adams, @CiCiAdams_ 30442394
- PEOPLE.com
President Obama isn't to blame for Sarah Palin's son's Ptsd, the head of a New York City-based veteran's organization says. "It's not President Obama's fault that Sarah Palin's son has Ptsd," Paul Rieckhoff, head of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, told NBC News on Wednesday. "Ptsd is a very serious problem, a complicated mental health injury and I would be extremely reluctant to blame any one person in particular." The comments came after Palin linked her son, Track's, recent domestic violence arrest to his Ptsd and Obama's lack of "respect" for veterans. Track, 26, who served in Iraq,...
- 1/21/2016
- by Char Adams, @CiCiAdams_ 30442394
- PEOPLE.com
“American Sniper," the $60 million budget feature, so effective reaching all sides of the war opinionists (pro, anti, veterans and civilians), started in four locations (N.Y., L.A. and Texas where Chris Kyle is so popular) and in its opening weekend made $677,000 over Christmas weekend, averaging $75,000 per theater. It earned $107.2 million when it expanded nationwide over Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend and has now
grossed $ $242.2 million, or 24 percent, of the total $1 billion grossed in January a mark hit for the first time since 2010! Even with a steep third weekend drop, “Sniper” remains on track to wind up over $330 million, which will rank second all-time among R-rated movies behind “The Passion of the Christ” ($370.8 million). (Thank you Ray Stubers of Box Office Mojo for this financial summary.)
One interesting article about “American Sniper” appears in Variety by guest writer, Paul Rieckhoff, and I am glad he mentions "Fort Bliss" a war story sleeper directed by Claudia Myers which never broke out but was, as he says, "masterful." Now Haifaa Al Mansour ("Wadjda") is making "Be Safe I Love You", another film about a young woman soldier who returns home to the U.S. after a tour in the Middle East and must grapple with Ptsd and the past she left behind.
Haifaa’s previous film “Wadjda," the first Saudi Arabian feature film and of course the first ever by a woman in Saudi Arabia was released in U.S. by Sony Pictures Classics and sold widely by The Match Factory. It opened September 2013 to critical acclaim and was the staple of the awards season. The National Board of Review awarded the film with the Freedom of Expression Award. It was nominated for a BAFTA for Best Non-English Language Film and was Saudi Arabia’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film for the Academy Awards.
Al Mansour received her Bachelor’s Degree in Literature at the American University in Cairo and completed her Master’s Degree in Directing and Film Studies from the University of Sydney.
She lives with her American husband in Bahrain where living among the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain “has given me a unique perspective on these young men an women we have designated warriors. Tough, simple, and full of life, they were suddenly real these humans who have been turned into machines to kill. I always wonder about the families they left behind. The female soldiers, whose images rarely make the news and whose stories have never sufficiently been told, especially fascinate me.”
“I have seen first hand the affects of war on the fresh faced, child-like soldiers that come from the U.S. to serve in the Middle East. The ancient hatreds and tribal wars of our region seem capable of swallowing them whole, of tearing apart the beliefs and narratives that hold their world together.”
This film, “Be Safe I Love You” is a thriller, with a tempo and urgency that we can only follow or comprehend through Lauren’s eyes as this young soldier’s two worlds – a world at war and a world of peace -- collide in her memory.
“Be Safe I Love You” is being produced by Anonymous Content. Haifaa Al Mansour is being managed and mentored by the remarkable producer – manager, Rosalie Swedlin and is represented by UTA’s Rena Ronson, another outstanding figure in our independent cinema world.
She is also the winner of this year’s Sundance Institute’s Global Filmmaking Award. And still she believes in trusting her gut instinct and being humble enough to criticize herself. We wish her the greatest success as her career takes off.
grossed $ $242.2 million, or 24 percent, of the total $1 billion grossed in January a mark hit for the first time since 2010! Even with a steep third weekend drop, “Sniper” remains on track to wind up over $330 million, which will rank second all-time among R-rated movies behind “The Passion of the Christ” ($370.8 million). (Thank you Ray Stubers of Box Office Mojo for this financial summary.)
One interesting article about “American Sniper” appears in Variety by guest writer, Paul Rieckhoff, and I am glad he mentions "Fort Bliss" a war story sleeper directed by Claudia Myers which never broke out but was, as he says, "masterful." Now Haifaa Al Mansour ("Wadjda") is making "Be Safe I Love You", another film about a young woman soldier who returns home to the U.S. after a tour in the Middle East and must grapple with Ptsd and the past she left behind.
Haifaa’s previous film “Wadjda," the first Saudi Arabian feature film and of course the first ever by a woman in Saudi Arabia was released in U.S. by Sony Pictures Classics and sold widely by The Match Factory. It opened September 2013 to critical acclaim and was the staple of the awards season. The National Board of Review awarded the film with the Freedom of Expression Award. It was nominated for a BAFTA for Best Non-English Language Film and was Saudi Arabia’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film for the Academy Awards.
Al Mansour received her Bachelor’s Degree in Literature at the American University in Cairo and completed her Master’s Degree in Directing and Film Studies from the University of Sydney.
She lives with her American husband in Bahrain where living among the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain “has given me a unique perspective on these young men an women we have designated warriors. Tough, simple, and full of life, they were suddenly real these humans who have been turned into machines to kill. I always wonder about the families they left behind. The female soldiers, whose images rarely make the news and whose stories have never sufficiently been told, especially fascinate me.”
“I have seen first hand the affects of war on the fresh faced, child-like soldiers that come from the U.S. to serve in the Middle East. The ancient hatreds and tribal wars of our region seem capable of swallowing them whole, of tearing apart the beliefs and narratives that hold their world together.”
This film, “Be Safe I Love You” is a thriller, with a tempo and urgency that we can only follow or comprehend through Lauren’s eyes as this young soldier’s two worlds – a world at war and a world of peace -- collide in her memory.
“Be Safe I Love You” is being produced by Anonymous Content. Haifaa Al Mansour is being managed and mentored by the remarkable producer – manager, Rosalie Swedlin and is represented by UTA’s Rena Ronson, another outstanding figure in our independent cinema world.
She is also the winner of this year’s Sundance Institute’s Global Filmmaking Award. And still she believes in trusting her gut instinct and being humble enough to criticize herself. We wish her the greatest success as her career takes off.
- 2/5/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
“Bradley Cooper is the new R-rated Jesus,” Nightly Show host says
Larry Wilmore took on the American Sniper controversy Monday, equating the record January total the Iraq War movie has hauled in to how much the war cost.
“200 million — man — that’s the cost of about 40 seconds of the actual Iraq War,” Wilmore said, adding that since the movie is on pace to surpass “Passion of the Christ” as the number-one R-rated movie, Bradley Cooper can now be anointed the new ‘R-rated Jesus.'”
Also Read: John McCain Blasts Petty ‘American Sniper’ Critics, Defends Chris Kyle as Hero
A panel of veterans,...
Larry Wilmore took on the American Sniper controversy Monday, equating the record January total the Iraq War movie has hauled in to how much the war cost.
“200 million — man — that’s the cost of about 40 seconds of the actual Iraq War,” Wilmore said, adding that since the movie is on pace to surpass “Passion of the Christ” as the number-one R-rated movie, Bradley Cooper can now be anointed the new ‘R-rated Jesus.'”
Also Read: John McCain Blasts Petty ‘American Sniper’ Critics, Defends Chris Kyle as Hero
A panel of veterans,...
- 1/27/2015
- by Jordan Chariton
- The Wrap
“My dad always said, ‘Snipers are cowards. They don’t believe in a fair fight. Like someone coming up from behind you and coldcocking you,'” Moore...
Michael Moore defended a statement he made on Sunday that “snipers aren’t heroes” by refuting the interpretation that he was weighing in on the debate surrounding Clint Eastwood’s “American Sniper.”
“My dad always said, ‘Snipers are cowards. They don’t believe in a fair fight. Like someone coming up from behind you and coldcocking you. Just isn’t right. It’s cowardly to shoot a person in the back,'” Moore...
Michael Moore defended a statement he made on Sunday that “snipers aren’t heroes” by refuting the interpretation that he was weighing in on the debate surrounding Clint Eastwood’s “American Sniper.”
“My dad always said, ‘Snipers are cowards. They don’t believe in a fair fight. Like someone coming up from behind you and coldcocking you. Just isn’t right. It’s cowardly to shoot a person in the back,'” Moore...
- 1/19/2015
- by Greg Gilman
- The Wrap
In the wake of Oscar nominations, Academy members begin buzzing over recent criticism of the film’s subject, Chris Kyle
Even as “American Sniper” breaks January box-office records and revels in six Oscar nominations, criticism over the subject of the film, sharpshooter Chris Kyle, is rising and reaching into the Academy of Motion Picture of Arts and Sciences, which votes on the Academy Awards.
Over the weekend, multiple Academy members told TheWrap that they had been passing around a recent article by Dennis Jett in The New Republic that attacks the film for making a hero out of Kyle, who...
Even as “American Sniper” breaks January box-office records and revels in six Oscar nominations, criticism over the subject of the film, sharpshooter Chris Kyle, is rising and reaching into the Academy of Motion Picture of Arts and Sciences, which votes on the Academy Awards.
Over the weekend, multiple Academy members told TheWrap that they had been passing around a recent article by Dennis Jett in The New Republic that attacks the film for making a hero out of Kyle, who...
- 1/18/2015
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
TV on Tap: “The Mindy Project” Gets James Franco and “Futurama” Turns into Saturday Morning Cartoons
News
Keith Olbermann is returning to television, the New York Times reports. He’ll be getting his own show on ESPN2, where his beat will include pop culture and current events but not politics.
It turns out American Dad will be wrapping up its run at Fox as its tenth season will be the animated comedy’s final season on broadcast TV. It’s not the last fans will see Stan, Francine and Roger, TBS will air the eleventh season.
When The Mindy Project returns, James Franco will join the show for a two-episode arc as a model-turned doctor who takes over Mindy‘s workload while she’s away.
A fan favorite is returning to Supernatural. I’ll let you decide if you want to click on the link and find out who or just spend the next few months avoiding spoilers.
Showtime has already ordered a second season of Ray Donovan.
Keith Olbermann is returning to television, the New York Times reports. He’ll be getting his own show on ESPN2, where his beat will include pop culture and current events but not politics.
It turns out American Dad will be wrapping up its run at Fox as its tenth season will be the animated comedy’s final season on broadcast TV. It’s not the last fans will see Stan, Francine and Roger, TBS will air the eleventh season.
When The Mindy Project returns, James Franco will join the show for a two-episode arc as a model-turned doctor who takes over Mindy‘s workload while she’s away.
A fan favorite is returning to Supernatural. I’ll let you decide if you want to click on the link and find out who or just spend the next few months avoiding spoilers.
Showtime has already ordered a second season of Ray Donovan.
- 7/17/2013
- by Lyle Masaki
- The Backlot
Democratic nice guy Paul Begala, Andrew Ross Sorkin and S.E. Cupp are guests on Real Time with Bill Maher's April 27 episode this Friday night. The series (reupped for two more seasons) continues its tenth season April 27 (10:00-11:00 p.m. live Et/tape-delayed Pt), exclusively on HBO, with an instant replay at 11:00 p.m. following the live presentation. Maher's roundtable guests this week are political strategist Paul Begala, columnist S.E. Cupp and journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin; political scientist Charles Murray and veterans. affairs advocate Paul Rieckhoff are interview guests. Other HBO playdates: April 29 (11:45 a.m., 3:05 a.m.) and 30 (8:00 p.m.), and May 2 (11:00 p.m.) HBO2 playdates: April 27 (3:00 a.m.), 28 (9:30 a.m., midnight) and 29...
- 4/26/2012
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
Austin, TX – SXSW has released their 2011 SXSW Film Conference lineup, which includes two exciting key panels with Todd Phillips (The Hangover), and Paul Reubens (The Pee-wee Herman Show), as well, the cast and crew from Source Code will also be in attendance, in addition to many other panels and workshops to feed the creative mind.
Additionally, the complete schedule for the event, including screening and panel dates and times will be live starting Tuesday. at: http://schedule.sxsw.com.
SXSW 2011 – Saturday, March 12
A Conversation with Todd Phillips
Director Todd Phillips has forever left his mark on comedy entertainment with his own brand of films exploring, in often-outrageous ways, the nature of male relationships. With films like Old School, Starsky & Hutch, School For Scoundrels, Due Date and The Hangover, the highest grossing R-rated comedy of all time, he has worked with some of today’s most innovative and acclaimed comic actors.
Additionally, the complete schedule for the event, including screening and panel dates and times will be live starting Tuesday. at: http://schedule.sxsw.com.
SXSW 2011 – Saturday, March 12
A Conversation with Todd Phillips
Director Todd Phillips has forever left his mark on comedy entertainment with his own brand of films exploring, in often-outrageous ways, the nature of male relationships. With films like Old School, Starsky & Hutch, School For Scoundrels, Due Date and The Hangover, the highest grossing R-rated comedy of all time, he has worked with some of today’s most innovative and acclaimed comic actors.
- 2/15/2011
- by Albert Art
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
South By Southwest have announced the 2011 SXSW Film Conference lineup, which includes two key conversations with Todd Phillips (director of The Hangover), Paul Reubens (aka Pee-wee Herman), the cast and crew of Super (James Gunn, Ellen Page and Rainn Wilson) and filmmaker Duncan Jones (Source Code, Moon). Additionally, the complete schedule for the event, including screening and panel dates and times are live at: http://schedule.sxsw.com [1]. You can read the full press release after the jump. SXSW Film Festival Announces 2011 Conference Lineup Todd Phillips & Paul Reubens Among Key Panelists Schedule of Screening and Panel Dates & Times Now Live Austin, Texas – February 15, 2011 – The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival is thrilled to announce over 100 Film Conference sessions for the 2011 event, which will take place Friday, March 11 – Saturday, March 19, 2011 in Austin, Texas. These panels, largely selected from proposals submitted via the SXSW PanelPicker™ interface, offer fresh perspectives on...
- 2/15/2011
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
Paul Rieckhoff enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves in 1998, and shortly thereafter went to work on Wall Street. When 9/11 struck, he rushed to the scene to volunteer--and was then called to formal service as a member of the National Guard. Then in 2003, Paul deployed to Iraq. When he returned, he wanted to represent the voices of the more than 2 million veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. So in 2004 he founded Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (Iava). In just a few years, Iava has grown to over 200,000 members hailing from all 50 states. Iava advocates on behalf of their members on a range of issues from Ptsd to homelessness and from the recent Don't Ask, Don't Tell bill to the New GI Bill. Paul wrote an acclaimed book about his experiences, and was named by GQ as one of the 50 Most Powerful People in D.C. He's appeared...
- 1/21/2011
- by David D. Burstein
- Fast Company
Thirty features, documentaries and shorts have already been submitted for screening at next year’s South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas.
“It looks to be a great year for Australian filmmakers at this prestigious event,” said SXSW spokesperson Phil Tripp.
The early deadline for entries is November 4. Frequently Asked Questions are here.
The festival has also announced its film pannels:
Beyond 3D: How Interactive Screenings Will Save Cinema
(Henri Mazza, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema)
The Blogger Centipede: How Content is Eroding Credibility
(William Goss, Cinematical)
Can P2P Save Filmmaking?
(Jamie King, Vodo and BitTorrent Inc.)
“Did You Kill Anyone?” Reality in War Movies
(Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America)
Documentary Deities: Dispelling The Director Myth
(Eddie Schmidt, Ida)
The Female Funny: Is It Different For Girls?
(Rachel Sklar, Mediaite.com)
Funny Fits: Alt Comedy on Alt Platforms
(Jennifer Caserta, IFC)
Heard But Not Seen:...
“It looks to be a great year for Australian filmmakers at this prestigious event,” said SXSW spokesperson Phil Tripp.
The early deadline for entries is November 4. Frequently Asked Questions are here.
The festival has also announced its film pannels:
Beyond 3D: How Interactive Screenings Will Save Cinema
(Henri Mazza, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema)
The Blogger Centipede: How Content is Eroding Credibility
(William Goss, Cinematical)
Can P2P Save Filmmaking?
(Jamie King, Vodo and BitTorrent Inc.)
“Did You Kill Anyone?” Reality in War Movies
(Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America)
Documentary Deities: Dispelling The Director Myth
(Eddie Schmidt, Ida)
The Female Funny: Is It Different For Girls?
(Rachel Sklar, Mediaite.com)
Funny Fits: Alt Comedy on Alt Platforms
(Jennifer Caserta, IFC)
Heard But Not Seen:...
- 10/6/2010
- by Miguel Gonzalez
- Encore Magazine
After a "pretty heated discussion" with the man who revealed almost 100,000 classified military documents, the founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America says he's concerned about Assange's agenda.
Oh, to be a fly on the wall when former J.P. Morgan employee-turned-post-9-11 Iraq War combat vet Paul Rieckhoff came face to face with the waifish, prematurely gray Julian Assange of Wikileaks at a recent Ted Global conference in London on July 16.
“He had just finished his talk with [Ted founder Chris Anderson] where he got a favorable response and was basically unchallenged,” Rieckhoff tells FastCompany.com.
Assange hadn’t yet dropped on three pet media outlets 92,000 classified documents that either paint a picture of gross incompetence in the War in Afghanistan or show very little new at all, depending mostly on whether you’re one of his special media buddies selected to share in an early disclosure of the latest Wikileaks. (Assange himself...
Oh, to be a fly on the wall when former J.P. Morgan employee-turned-post-9-11 Iraq War combat vet Paul Rieckhoff came face to face with the waifish, prematurely gray Julian Assange of Wikileaks at a recent Ted Global conference in London on July 16.
“He had just finished his talk with [Ted founder Chris Anderson] where he got a favorable response and was basically unchallenged,” Rieckhoff tells FastCompany.com.
Assange hadn’t yet dropped on three pet media outlets 92,000 classified documents that either paint a picture of gross incompetence in the War in Afghanistan or show very little new at all, depending mostly on whether you’re one of his special media buddies selected to share in an early disclosure of the latest Wikileaks. (Assange himself...
- 7/27/2010
- by Tyler Gray
- Fast Company
Lieutenant Rocco’s recently returned from deployment in Iraq and he’s having trouble acclimating. He sits near the edge of a sofa in his social worker’s office, still dressed in fatigues, and sporting a buzz cut. Even though he says he’s okay, he admits to getting flack from his boss about his lack of productivity and that he’s arguing with his wife. "There are things I don’t want to talk about with her. Things I can’t get out of my head," he says.
The more you listen in on Lieutenant Rocco’s session, the easier it becomes to forget the slightly odd cadences of his speech and the blocky outlines of his clothing which point out that the Lieutenant isn’t a real person. He’s a digital avatar designed to be a training tool as part of University of Southern California School of...
The more you listen in on Lieutenant Rocco’s session, the easier it becomes to forget the slightly odd cadences of his speech and the blocky outlines of his clothing which point out that the Lieutenant isn’t a real person. He’s a digital avatar designed to be a training tool as part of University of Southern California School of...
- 5/17/2010
- by Lydia Dishman
- Fast Company
Recently, there has been some hoopla in the media about how soldiers were portrayed in the box office hit "The Hurt Locker." Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America's (Iava) executive director/ founder, wrote the following in a Newsweek article: "The Hurt Locker tries to articulate that experience, but those of us who have served in the military couldn't help but be distracted by a litany of inaccuracies that reveal not only a lack of research, but ultimately respect for the American military." While I haven't seen the movie and can't comment on it, I do want to note what Rieckhoff said in his conclusion: "Americans want to think they know what the ground truth is in Iraq, but until Hollywood and the media give them the right information, our experience will continue to be lost in translation. So someone, do us...
- 3/18/2010
- by Clint Van Winkle
- Huffington Post
SXSW Interactive this year was all about ethonomics, or social media for social change. "How do we create a future we want to live in?" Danah Boyd asked in her keynote on "Privacy and Publicity in the Digital Age," based on her career's worth of astute investigations into young people's use of social media. She asked important questions about how changing norms of privacy (such as the Google Buzz "privacy fail") might affect an undocumented immigrant, a gay member of the military, or a woman fleeing a battered husband. Can online communities improve representation for marginalized groups and protect them at the same time?
Valerie Casey's keynote challenged the tech world to address sustainability through a systems thinking approach. (Jon Kolko of Frog Design is starting the Austin Center for Design to teach just that).
Ev Williams talked about Twitter partnering with 65 different cell-phone carriers to serve as an SMS...
Valerie Casey's keynote challenged the tech world to address sustainability through a systems thinking approach. (Jon Kolko of Frog Design is starting the Austin Center for Design to teach just that).
Ev Williams talked about Twitter partnering with 65 different cell-phone carriers to serve as an SMS...
- 3/17/2010
- by Anya Kamenetz
- Fast Company
The Hurt Locker looked poised to win big at the Oscars this weekend until getting embroiled in a controversy about whether or not it's realistic. Iraq and Afghanistan veteran advocate Paul Rieckhoff pointed out a couple of significant inaccuracies (bomb squad techs acting like infantrymen, bad tactics, wrong uniforms, etc.), a bunch of bomb techs have complained it's way too Hollywood, and a soldier who claims the story was based on him now plans to sue the filmmakers. But the pre-Oscar kneecapping misses the point: despite being set in Baghdad, Kathyrn Bigelow's film was never really about Iraq. First off, the film doesn't engage the American experience in Iraq in a real political or intellectual way -- certainly, not in the way films like Platoon or Apocalypse Now or Deer Hunter raised questions about Vietnam, or even how Saving...
- 3/4/2010
- by Michael Hastings
- Huffington Post
With Oscar night only a few days away, best-picture frontrunner The Hurt Locker has had a rough week, with veterans’ sounding off on its inaccuracies, its producer’s being barred from the ceremony, and a man’s claiming the movie’s main character (played by Jeremy Renner) is based off him and filing a lawsuit. So we asked Marcus Johnson, a veteran of the Iraq war, to tell us how close to real life The Hurt Locker is. Last week, Paul Rieckhoff, director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, wrote on Newsweek.com that inaccuracies in The Hurt Locker reveal “not only a lack of research, but ultimately [a lack of] respect for the American military.” Rieckhoff echoes the sentiment of many veterans who have expressed everything from disinterest in the film to blatant outrage at its distorted portrayal of combat life in Iraq. As a fellow veteran of the Iraq war,...
- 3/4/2010
- Vanity Fair
With a rash of critics attacking the film's portrayal of the military, some experts wonder if the backlash was orchestrated.
By Eric Ditzian
Ralph Fiennes in "The Hurt Locker"
Photo: First Light Production
Weeks before the 2009 Academy Awards, news broke that two of the child actors in awards-season darling "Slumdog Millionaire" were still living in squalor and had allegedly not been fairly compensated for their work on the worldwide blockbuster. It was an inflammatory story that dominated entertainment headlines and dogged the film's producers up until "Slumdog" took home eight Oscars, including Best Picture, in late February.
A year later, the same narrative seems to be repeating itself with the Iraq war drama "The Hurt Locker." Following a string of key awards-season wins — from the Directors Guild of America to the BAFTAs to the Broadcast Film Critics — the film finds itself under assault from a rash of critics, including in...
By Eric Ditzian
Ralph Fiennes in "The Hurt Locker"
Photo: First Light Production
Weeks before the 2009 Academy Awards, news broke that two of the child actors in awards-season darling "Slumdog Millionaire" were still living in squalor and had allegedly not been fairly compensated for their work on the worldwide blockbuster. It was an inflammatory story that dominated entertainment headlines and dogged the film's producers up until "Slumdog" took home eight Oscars, including Best Picture, in late February.
A year later, the same narrative seems to be repeating itself with the Iraq war drama "The Hurt Locker." Following a string of key awards-season wins — from the Directors Guild of America to the BAFTAs to the Broadcast Film Critics — the film finds itself under assault from a rash of critics, including in...
- 3/4/2010
- MTV Movie News
The Oscar-nominated The Hurt Locker is getting flak from service personnel for not telling it as it is
Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar-nominated film The Hurt Locker, about Explosive Ordnance Disposal (Eod) troops in Iraq, has been facing criticism from real-life service personnel. "Many of our members around the country have noted the flawed portrayal of Eod," Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said this week. "It is disrespectful." Last year, former Royal Engineer bomb disposal expert Guy Marot expressed similar reservations in G2, saying he was "appalled" by the film's "numerous glaring inaccuracies". Both men point out mistakes relating to tactical decisions, chain-of-command procedure, the amount of ordnance characters lift, and even the vintage of their uniforms.
Fair enough. No one likes to see their work misrepresented on screen and if you identify inaccuracies, you have every right to challenge a film's credibility. Whether...
Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar-nominated film The Hurt Locker, about Explosive Ordnance Disposal (Eod) troops in Iraq, has been facing criticism from real-life service personnel. "Many of our members around the country have noted the flawed portrayal of Eod," Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said this week. "It is disrespectful." Last year, former Royal Engineer bomb disposal expert Guy Marot expressed similar reservations in G2, saying he was "appalled" by the film's "numerous glaring inaccuracies". Both men point out mistakes relating to tactical decisions, chain-of-command procedure, the amount of ordnance characters lift, and even the vintage of their uniforms.
Fair enough. No one likes to see their work misrepresented on screen and if you identify inaccuracies, you have every right to challenge a film's credibility. Whether...
- 3/4/2010
- by Ben Walters
- The Guardian - Film News
• After acknowledging he is not a film critic, Paul Rieckhoff, executive director and founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (Iava), writes in a guest column for Newsweek: "As a voice of the new veterans' movement, and of thousands of Iava members across the country, I have a responsibility to serve as pop-culture watchdog, and to help the American public understand what accurately depicts the military's experience in Iraq and what doesn't. Especially because with less than 1 percent of American citizens now serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, films are one of the few ways to connect the other 99 percent of Americans to the reality of modern combat." He then says, "'The...
- 2/25/2010
- by tomoneil
- Gold Derby
Kathy Griffin, Richard Clarke, Paul Rieckhoff and Rajiv Chandrasekaran will ring in Friday night with robust chat about every hot topical subject with host Bill Maher, for the HBO Emmy nominated series, "Real Time With Bill Maher." The series continues its seventh season in prime time Friday, September 11 (10:00-11:00 p.m. Et/Pt), on HBO, with an instant replay at 11:00 p.m. Host Maher takes on each subject with a perspective that is not defined by left, right, liberal or conservative. He has called out President Obama for not doing enough for health care reform, and reiterates his beliefs that Big Agra and Big Pharma are in a collusion of sorts, having the American people existing on a diet...
- 9/11/2009
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
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