Two films commissioned and jointly financed by 大象传媒 Storyville yesterday
won major awards at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.
The American Documentary Grand Jury Prize went to Why We Fight,
written and directed by Eugene Jarecki.
The Liberace Of Baghdad, directed by Sean McAllister,
received a Jury Prize in the World Cinema Documentary category.
Why We Fight, described by Variety as "setting the gold standard
for political documentaries", is an examination of American attitudes
to war and democracy.
Through a series of interviews with players, theorists and participants,
it examines the links within the American establishment of arms manufacturers,
politicians and defence intellectuals.
And it points to the paradox of a country which thinks of itself as
peaceful but is engaged in almost permanent conflict.
Nick Fraser, Editor of Storyville, says: "Eugene Jarecki has done a
sensational job in conveying the central dilemmas of contemporary America
- how it uses its vast powers.
"It is poignant as well as illuminating. It gives an important
message for our times. You get the sense of this vast society reluctantly
caught up in a dream of Empire it has never shared with its leaders,
and the film conveys this with poetic intensity.
"We are very proud to see a film financed in Europe win what has
become the most important documentary prize in the US."
The Liberace Of Baghdad was shot over five months by director Sean
McAllister.
Production was in dangerous circumstances - the film features the
pianist Samir Peters and McAllister as they make their way through the
rubble of Baghdad.
"Sean McAllister makes filming look easy," says Nick Fraser. "You
have to be brave as well as skilled to make such a film. And Samir's charm
allows the film to tell us more about what it means to live in Baghdad
than a hundred news reports."
Notes to Editors
Storyville is 大象传媒 FOUR's flagship international documentary
strand which showcases the best and brightest of world non-fiction film.
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Storyville has brought many highly-acclaimed and award-winning films
to 大象传媒 viewers.
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Why We Fight was jointly commissioned by the 大象传媒, Arte and TV2 (Denmark).
Roy Ackerman of Diverse Productions, London, is executive producer.
It will be shown on 大象传媒 FOUR on 23 March 2005.
The Liberace Of Baghdad is a co-production between Team Productions
and Ten Foot Films.
The executive producer is Mette Heide.
It was commissioned by 大象传媒 Storyville and TV2 (Denmark).
The film was shown last week (25 January 2005) on 大象传媒 FOUR and will
be repeated shortly on 大象传媒 TWO.
Another winning film that is due to be shown on 大象传媒 Storyville soon
is Shake Hands With The Devil.
The film from Peter Raymont won the Audience Award.
It is the story of Romeo Dallaire who was the head of the United Nations
during the Rwanda genocide.
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