Taxi to the Dark Side

Taxi to the Dark Side won an Oscar for best Documentary Feature Film. This was a film about an Afghan taxi driver who was beaten to death in 2002 while in United States military custody. The film examines the abuses committed during the detainment and interrogation of political prisoners. The winner, Alex Gibney, dedicated the award to his father who was a navy interrogator and who urged his son "to make the film because of his fury about what was being done to the rule of the law."

This documentary was about the Iraq war, as was at least one other documentary. Just the making and releasing of these types of films influences public opinion. Many people probably haven't, nor will they ever, see these films. But the Academy Award program is seen by billions of people. I am pretty sure that these viewers realize (or assume) that the films are against America's involvement in the war. Therefore, does this influence their opinion on the war? Someone did a documentary which was unfavorable. Do they see the documentary and form an opinion? Or does just knowing that someone in Hollywood winning an award for this documentary, which could be be anti-war, influence people to be against the war?

Isn't it a good thing that people like documentary filmmakers are allowed to investigate government or big business? Doesn't it, at the least, get people to open their eyes to the possibility that other media arms aren't giving the full story?

Here is a trailer for Taxi to the Dark Side

source: www.taxitothedarkside.com/