THE PANAMA DECEPTION

Q&A with director Barbara Trent

A riveting Academy Award-winning critique of the government’s history of militarization, made all the more timely by the current war on terrorism.

The Panama Deception documents the untold story of the December 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama; the events which led to it; the excessive force used; the enormity of the death and destruction; and the devastating aftermath. The Panama Deception uncovers the real reasons for this internationally condemned attack, presenting a view of the invasion which widely differs from that portrayed by the U.S. media and exposes how the U.S. government and the mainstream media suppressed information about this foreign policy disaster.

The Panama Deception includes never before seen footage of the invasion and its aftermath, as well asinterviews with both invasion proponents like Gen. Maxwell Thurman, Panamanian President Endara andPentagon spokesperson Pete Williams, and opponents like U.S. Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY.), Panamanian human rights workers Olga Mejia and Isabel Corro and former Panamanian diplomat Humberto Brown. Network news clips and media critics contribute to a staggering analysis of media control and selfcensorship relevant to any news coverage today, particularly during times of war.

Among the film’s excellent reviews are: “meticulously researched” (Hal Hinson, Washington Post);“outstanding” (Betsy Sherman, Boston Globe); “tough….provocative….moving….beautifully edited” (Vincent Canby, New York Times); and “lays out simply and forcefully the case against the ‘official’ version” (Peter Rainer, Los Angeles Times). - text from the Empowerment Project

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