Grades 10-12, College, Adult
Directed by David Kaplowitz
DVD Purchase $79, Rent $45
US Release Date: 2002
Copyright Date: 2002
DVD ISBN: 1-59458-103-7
VHS ISBN: 1-56029-972-X
Subjects
Asian Studies
Central America/The Caribbean
Conflict Resolution
Ethics
Foreign Policy
US
Geography
Global Issues
Human Rights
Humanities
International Studies
Middle Eastern Studies
Military
National Security
Social Justice
War and Peace
Awards and Festivals
United Nations Association Film Festival, Stanford
Vermont International Film Festival
Amnesty International Film Festival
Images du Nouveau Monde, Festival de Cinéma Panaméricain
World Social Forum Film Festival, Mumbai, India
White Horse Human Rights Film Festival
Auroville Film Festival, Tamil Nadu, India
European Social Forum Film Festival
A revealing critique of US foreign policy since World War II.
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"A visually arresting, powerful overview of American intervention...especially timely in providing historical perspective for U.S. foreign policy today. " Howard Zinn, author "The People's History of the United States" |
Filmmaker David Kaplowitz leads us on an eye-opening journey, questioning the effects of U.S. foreign policy over the past 50 years.
Revealing a pattern of intervention, the film focuses on Guatemala, Vietnam, East Timor, El Salvador, and Palestine/Israel.
Archival footage, photographs and media tidbits are dynamically interwoven with personal eye-witness accounts and commentary from academics -- such as Noam Chomsky -- religious leaders and politicians. IN WHOSE INTEREST? is informative and disturbingly honest, yet upbeat, with twists of irony and humor.
Reviews
"According to filmmaker David Kaplowitz's exceptionally timely documentary...American intervention (or lack thereof) has been dictated by U.S. interests...The best interests of the country in question, however, have rarely been served, and Kaplowitz buttresses that argument with this compelling look at five specific historical cases...While some of this information will be known to viewers...much of it will be a revelation especially to young adult viewers...Highly recommended for high school (with a warning about the graphic images), public and academic libraries."
***1/2 Randy Pitman, Video Librarian
"This film documents how over past decades the United States attempted regime changes in various parts of the world. It also shows that democracy was never a US objective as it interfered illegally in other countries' affairs. Good for poli sci and international relations classes."
Saul Landau, Author, Filmmaker, Scholar
"A very good introductory overview to the pattern of U. S. intervention in the rest of the world, excellent for American politics and international relations classes."
Ted Morgan, Professor of Political Science, Lehigh University
"Our greatest enemy in this country is ignorance and our weapon must be knowledge. (In Whose Interest?) will do just that...give knowledge to others."
Roy Bourgeois MM, School of the Americas Watch
"In Whose Interest? is a visually arresting, powerful overview of American intervention in various parts of the world. It is especially timely in providing historical perspective for U.S. foreign policy today. The film dramatically reveals the difference between official claims and the effects of American policy on the lives of people in Central America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East. I hope it will be widely seen, so that it may educate a new generation to avoid the disasters of the past."
Howard Zinn, author, A People's History of the United States
"A powerful film that challenges the cherished assumptions of U.S. foreign policy in the post-WW II period. The film cuts through the rhetorical haze of official justifications for U.S. actions...(D)emonstrate(s) that regardless of which party controls the White House, U.S. foreign policy has consistently stood for authoritarian, corporate-friendly regimes, even if those regimes terrorize their domestic populations. In the post-9/11 world...the message of this film is more urgent than ever. It deserves wide distribution and discussion."
Bill Grover, Chair, Political Science Dept., Saint Michael's College
"This is one of the timeliest documentaries we have ever seen...In a short 27 minutes it exposes US interventions as serving the greedy needs of this nation over humanity...The film is an excellent resource for teachers who want to introduce their students -- bite by bite -- to an overview of US interventions...We will highly recommend this film...(It) ends on a resounding optimistic note: If people knew the truth - these interventions would stop! We wholeheartedly agree."
Vietnam Veterans Against the War
"Hard hitting, heart-rending, informative."
Mel Gurtov, Professor of Political Science and International Studies, Portland State University.
"This is a film I will remember 20 years from now."
"This film changed the way I look at America."
Students at Washington High School, San Francisco